A time to heal
by Lady in black
Summary: Frodo leaves the Shire from Mithlond to find healing in the far west of Middle Earth. COMPLETE. Please rr! Thanks
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
It is said, that hobbits in general have never left the Shire. Well, we all do know that this is not quite true, especially when the fact is given, that they have Tookish blood running through their veins. Also, it is a well known fact, that hobbits don't like adventures. And again we all do know, that this is not quite true, especially if there's again Tookish blood involved.  
  
So we've first seen Bilbo Baggins traveling through half of Middle Earth (at least those who've had the definite pleasure to read "There and back again – A Hobbit's Tale" by Bilbo Baggins).  
  
And then, well, and then there was Frodo.  
  
Frodo Baggins had been different from any hobbit in the Shire all life long. That began with his physical appearance and ended with his extraordinary un-hobbity mind. Hobbits of old tell, that he looked more like an Elf and if it hadn't been for his tiny size of body and his feet, he could have easily been mistaken for one. And even if he was certainly not as much in adventures as good old Bilbo had been, Frodo used to be part of an adventure that was so enormously huge and breathtaking, that it even would have been too much for Bilbo.  
  
Mr. Baggins went through many a danger and many an unpleasant task and it is needless to say, that all of it gave him times of hardship after the actual adventure, that indeed had turned out to be a War. He couldn't go on with his life in the Shire and that his companions and friends of earlier days knew. So that is why Gandalf the White along with many of the High Elves, including precious Galadriel with Celeborn, took him to a promised land, a land where Frodo could heal and find peace.  
  
It is a fact, that healing old wounds is a hard thing to do and takes a lot of time. Therefore, the sick and wounded need help and special wounds can only be healed by special people. One of these, you'll get to meet in this story. Being a distracted person herself, she is to help the hobbit, who has helped so many others. A task that's hard to fulfill, even if that person's name is "Healer of the Soul".  
  
I want to invite you to join me on a trip into lands afar, lands we know not of and into a time of healing. Meet the hero of the Ring War again and see what happened to him after his departure from Mithlond – the Grey Havens. 


	2. The Isle of Peace

The Isle of Peace  
  
Their journey took them over the wild seas to a land, that was so different from anything the passengers of the ship had ever seen. Even the wise old Gandalf seemed to be taken aback by the beauty of this land. They all left the ship and were welcomed by a variety of peoples: Elves, wizards, humans, ents and so many other different kinds of beings, they had met on their long journey into the ring war. But there were no hobbits, except for Bilbo and himself. Frodo was tired; the old wound at his left shoulder was now constantly hurting and a dark cloud had laid itself down in his mind. Neither Bilbo nor Gandalf nor any of his fellows could bring him out of his depressed mood and he was grateful, when a very tall elf came up to him and offered him to show him his new home. They wandered for quite a while and Frodo's feet became heavier with every step he made. Soon they came to a shire and in a very small hill, Frodo could see a round door, windows at each side of it. It painfully reminded him of his former beloved home in Hobbiton and of all the people he loved and that he had been forced to leave behind. But the shadows covering his mind had become too strong, too powerful as he could bear them any longer. And so he had been really happy when he had gotten note from Gandalf that their journey was to begin into a land, far across the oceans, where he would find peace and relief from the old pain. The elf led him into his new home and then quietly left again, even before Frodo was given a chance to say only one word of thanks. He dropped his bag in a corner of the hall and started wandering through the hole, not knowing himself whether he was looking for something specific or not. Eventually he came into the living room and allowed himself to finally rest in one of two huge cozy armchairs in front of the fireplace. For a while he watched the flames eating their wooden meal with many heavy thoughts wandering through his head. His first tears, he never recognized until they progressed into a real flood, running down his unnaturally gray and pale face. Frodo thought of everything that he had been forced to leave behind, Sam and his small family, Pippin, Merry. He wondered whether they were actually missing him. An ugly, tiny, unmerciful voice in his head kept on telling him, that he had only been a burden for them ever since he had returned from Mordor and that they certainly were having a party, celebrating his final departure from the shire. Deep in all his bad thoughts and destructed by his tears, Frodo eventually fell asleep late at night.  
  
He was woken up by a knock on the front door. Although Frodo was not in the mood for having company or going out, he went to open the door.  
  
"Mr. Frodo Baggins?" Frodo was stunned. There was a hobbit woman standing in front of him. He tried to remember whether he had seen hobbits the previous day, but couldn't think of any.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Good day to you, Mr. Baggins. I am Níniel Cuilanathûr. Master Gandalf asked me to take care of you. May I come in?"  
  
"Yes, certainly" Frodo said, stepping aside allowing her to enter the hobbit home. Confused he slammed the door shut behind her.  
  
"It's beautiful here. Is that what Bag End looks like now? I haven't seen it for the longest time."  
  
"Yeah, yes, I think so. Wanna join me in the living room?"  
  
"Have you had any breakfast already? I bet Langulis hasn't shown you around. He's an extremely shy elf." she said.  
  
"No, but I'm not hungry anyway, thanks," Frodo said.  
  
"Strange words emitting from a hobbit's mouth. Well, I am. So, do you mind us going into the kitchen?" she asked but Frodo could never answer her question. Níniel hurried into the kitchen and immediately started preparing breakfast for the two of them. And now, even though she had been talking quite much before, she was silently working in the kitchen. Frodo sat down at the table and watched her. In his eyes, she was really beautiful and apparently of his age, probably a little younger. The long curly dark brown hair fell down loosely on her shoulders and underlined the fine lines of her face perfectly well. As many other hobbits, including himself, her eyes were of a deep beautiful blue and were the perfect match for her rather small nose and cupid-bow-shaped rosy lips. She wore a white blouse with a nice green vest and a long brown skirt that feel down over her feet. Níniel was quite fast and so a huge good looking breakfast including tea was finished soon. She now joined Frodo, sitting down at the opposite side of the table. Frodo watched her as she helped herself to a cup of tea and then, without asking him, she poured him one of his own. Then she silently started eating. Frodo was still watching her curiously.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked her all of a sudden and she looked up to face him.  
  
"You're not referring to my name, are you," she said smiling at him and put the piece of cheese she had just been holding in her hands back onto a large wooden plate. "I am a healer and came here a long time ago. Master Gandalf asked me to look after you and take a look at you. He is very concerned about your well-being," she answered truthfully.  
  
"So, you're basically here to control me," Frodo said grimly taking a sip from his teacup.  
  
"No, I'm not. I was the only hobbit here before you and Mr. Bilbo came and I learned a lot from the elves. They taught me everything they know about healing and here I am. Master Gandalf thought you would feel better, if another hobbit looks after you."  
  
"He knows me all too well," Frodo admitted smiling. "Have you already seen Bilbo?"  
  
"Yes, I have, but let's talk about him later. If you want, we can also pay him a visit. Why don't you now try and eat something. It certainly wouldn't hurt. You're extremely skinny." And so Frodo joined Níniel with her meal and both of them ate silently.  
  
Later when they had finished breakfast, Níniel insisted on seeing the scar on Frodo's left shoulder, his neck and his right hand with the one missing finger. She examined it very carefully, since she knew, that touching these wounds, would hurt Frodo. But she could not help it and had to touch the scar on his shoulder, because if she wanted to heal it, she had to know everything about it and so she even needed to know how it felt to her touch. Her fingers had hardly touched his skin as her hand jerked back. Fright was written on her face and Frodo saw it.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked her in surprise. Although the wound had been hurting for quite a while now, he hadn't suffered any seizures for at least a week.  
  
"It was caused by the dagger of a Nazgûl, wasn't it."  
  
"Yes. Why?"  
  
"Have you suffered any seizures?" she asked but her face told Frodo, that she already knew the answer. He nodded. "That's what I thought. That makes it harder for it to heal completely."  
  
"What do you mean - completely? It is healed. There's only this scar left."  
  
"The skin may be healed, but obviously Elrond has not managed to get all of the knife's poison out of you."  
  
"But how comes that I'm still alive then? Of course I wasn't feeling very well ever since, but I always blamed my task. That seemed reasonable."  
  
"It certainly was, but I'm sure, that there's still much of the poison inside of you. But this is obviously only one of many injuries. Tell me everything that happened to you ever since you had met Shelob. Try to not leave out anything. Everything could be important for me."  
  
"You want me to tell you the whole story. Even though all of this has happened only within a couple of days, it still is a very long one," Frodo said raising an eyebrow. But Níniel only shrugged her shoulders. And so Frodo started to tell her everything that he and Sam had gone through. Níniel was listening quietly, never interrupting him or asking him questions. Sometimes Frodo stopped with his story and always when this happened, Níniel found something interesting outside the window to look at. This gave Frodo the time to wipe the tears out of his eyes. And then, when he went on again, Níniel would listen again with her eyes fixed on his face. It didn't bother Frodo, probably he never recognized it. But anybody who might have seen them sitting in the small bed chamber, Frodo shirtless and Níniel sitting right next to him on the bed, would have thought, that she was more looking into his soul than listening to what he was telling her. Two hours later Frodo finally finished his story with the cleaning of the Shire. "Now you know it all. I'm sorry, if I bored you." Níniel looked deeply into his blue eyes and then smiled.  
  
"You've never bored me. Now I know, what I needed to know." She then checked the clock on the opposite side of the room. "Nearly lunchtime. Wanna pay Bilbo a visit or do you need to rest."  
  
"Rest?" Frodo seemed to consider that word for a while. Less than three years ago, he would have laughed at her, but now he felt old, really old, even though he was only at the age of 52 (that is still very young in hobbit years. Consider that they're coming of age at the age of 33). Actually his body told him, that he wanted rest, that he needed rest, actually yearned for some. But Frodo decided not to listen to it. Too urgent was his need to go and see Bilbo again. "I want to see him. Ever since I came here I haven't set a foot outside the door."  
  
"Then let's go. But dress properly. Even though it doesn't look like it, it's very cold outside." Níniel left the room and allowed Frodo to dress privately. 'What a woman' Frodo thought, putting on his shirt. It was not that he was in love with her, but somehow he found himself somewhat drawn to her. Probably it was her way to talk to him and she listened to him. He found it hard to explain what actually attracted him so much to her. Or was it just the plain fact, that even though he hardly knew her, he found her trustworthy? Frodo wasn't sure, but had no time to think of it anymore anyway. He had finished dressing and now left his bed chamber and joined Níniel who was waiting for him in the entrance hall.  
  
"Looks like an elfish cape, that you're wearing," she smiled as he approached her. "Perfect choice for today. It'll keep you warm."  
  
"It should. I'm already freezing," Frodo smiled at her and she smiled back. She never told him that it was terribly hot in the hole.  
  
Outside it was way colder, than Frodo had expected. Even his cape, that had done so much good for him on his long journey, couldn't prevent him from freezing. A sharp breeze was coming from the sea and blew the fine dry sand of the coast over the countryside. Níniel led him into a small forest of palm trees nearby. Frodo had never seen anything like it before. When entering the forest, he discovered beautiful birds, which seemed to represent every single color a person could think of. The trees were high and the ground was covered with all sorts of grass and flowers. As they progressed deeper into the forest, the shape of the trees and flowers changed. They became more common, more the sort of trees Frodo was used to. And after a thirty minutes walk into the depths of the wood, that was larger than he had thought, his eyes discovered a small wooden hut in the middle of a bright clearing.  
  
"We're almost there," Níniel said and turned to see how Frodo was doing. To her surprise she saw, that color had returned into his face and his cheeks were no longer white, but of a nice red. She recognized that with great relief. When they reached the hut Níniel knocked and entered without waiting for an answer. Frodo followed her high on heels and they walked into a cozy living room with a crackling fire, many drawings on the walls, two large windows that allowed a lot of sunlight in and three large and comfortable looking armchairs. Bilbo was sleeping soundly in one of them and to Frodo's surprise, Gandalf was sitting in the other one, watching his old friend. Obviously the old wizard had heard them coming in, since he turned around on his seat and faced both Frodo and Níniel with a large smile.  
  
"There you are, Frodo. Haven't seen you in quite a while," Gandalf said and with a wave of his hand he invited Frodo to sit down on the one empty chair next to him.  
  
"Hello Gandalf. I don't really understand how you can refer to one single day with quite a while," Frodo said smiling back at him and accepting his offer, he sat down.  
  
"Oh, Níniel, haven't you told my dear friend that he has been fast asleep for four days?"  
  
"Haven't had any chance yet," she said grinning at Gandalf. "I'll leave you wise men alone now. Still have a lot of things to do in my house. Do you want me to take Mr. Baggins back to his hut tonight?"  
  
"Yes, I think that's a right good idea. I doubt that he would find his way back in the darkness," Gandalf said and smiled at tiny Níniel. "Now back to business, young lady!" he growled.  
  
"Good day to you, Masters Gandalf, Frodo, and Bilbo," she said and left.  
  
"You too" Frodo muttered and turned to face a grinning Gandalf.  
  
"You happen to like her, don't you," the old wizard said.  
  
"Yes," Frodo nodded. "But she's a really strange hobbit."  
  
"Oh yes, indeed she is," Gandalf agreed and his grin grew even wider.  
  
"It's not what you think" Frodo said a little annoyed. "She's a wonderful person and easy to have a around. That's all."  
  
"Yes, I know, Frodo," Gandalf said, becoming serious again. "But you should never forget that she's not a normal hobbit woman. Remember where we are."  
  
"But she seems so normal. It's just that I've never heard of her or her family's name before. Is she from the Shire?" Frodo asked, now curious about the present and past of this woman.  
  
"Both yes and no. Níniel Cuilanathûr is the daughter of Murinel and Rosmertha Flourish. Her family used to live in a small village south-east from Bree. I can't recall its name. Both her mother and her father were killed by some Nazgûls, fifty-six years ago. Níniel never got to know them, because all of it happened the very day her mother had given birth to her. I was on my way to pay dear Bilbo a visit and found them all dead, except for baby Níniel. I found her and took her to Elrond and he had her brought here. That's why you've neither heard of her family nor her. You've only been a baby yourself that time," Gandalf explained. "He took a deep breath in. "My dear Frodo, there are sad news, that I have to tell you."  
  
"Go ahead," Frodo said in a calm voice. He was sort of used to get bad news.  
  
"You know that Bilbo is a very old man now, he recently celebrated his 131st birthday. I've talked to the Lady Galadriel, Elrond, and Níniel and they all agreed in one very sad fact. Bilbo will die soon." Gandalf said silently and then watched the face of his friend. All the color, that he had regained during his walk with Níniel, was gone.  
  
"Why?" he whispered, staring into the fire.  
  
"It's not because he used to be a ring bearer, if it's that what frightens you. He's an old man and his body won't work properly anymore. Actually he had asked Níniel to bring you here, since he wanted to talk to you privately as long as he could. And that's exactly why I'm gone now." Gandalf got up from his seat and looked down onto the sleeping Bilbo. "Wake up you old sleeping bag," he said and slapped him softly in his face. Immediately Bilbo jerked up and when he eventually recognized, where he was, he started to smile.  
  
"Oh there you are my dearest Frodo. I'm glad Níniel obeyed my wish so quickly," he whispered.  
  
"I'm going to leave you now," Gandalf said and bent down to hug Bilbo. "Farewell my friend." The tall man let go of the small hobbit and then without another word he left the hut. 


	3. First Signs

First Signs  
  
Outside Níniel had sat down on a bench and stared into the depths of the forest. Gandalf silently sat down next to her and joined her in her task.  
  
"So what can you tell me about Frodo?" he asked her, still staring into the countless betweens of the trees.  
  
"There's great grief inside of him. Even though the physical wounds haven't completely healed, this is not what makes me worry. It's rather his emotional state. All that he did - what he was forced to do - has almost destroyed his soul. He never behaved like a normal hobbit would. In that way he is very special and will one day be rewarded with great honors and fame, but he has lost his home in this world. Frodo feels as if he wouldn't belong here anymore and as far as I'm concerned he is waiting for his own death, because he can't find any sense in staying in this world anymore," she sadly told Gandalf, whose eyes were now reflecting his feelings like mirrors. Níniel saw guilt and pity in them.  
  
"I'm afraid I've asked to much of him," Gandalf silently admitted. "I should've known, that a hobbit is not the right person to be the ringbearer."  
  
"No, Gandalf. Don't blame yourself. It was his choice. It was him who said that he would be the one to destroy the ring. And both you and Elrond knew, that he was the right man to do it. Because he was pure of mind, body and soul."  
  
"He's no longer."  
  
"No. He needs time to heal and to find his paths in this world." She hesitated to go on. Níniel knew that what she was going to ask for now, was against the rules. She gathered her inner strengths and continued. "I know that this is against the old rules, but once Frodo will be a little better, both emotionally and physically, he will have to return to the Shire. That's where he belongs to."  
  
"You know that this is impossible," Gandalf said.  
  
"I know that it has to happen, if you want Frodo to become a happy man again. Besides you know it is possible to return to Middle Earth. I am allowed to whenever I want," Níniel argued.  
  
"But you don't really want to leave, do you," Gandalf said, now slightly worried, that Níniel actually would.  
  
"Not now. I have a task to fulfill. And that tasks name is Frodo Baggins. I've decided to move to his place. That's the only way for me to take proper care of him."  
  
"I understand. But I cannot decide upon his return on my own. It's the decision of the Lady Nessea."  
  
"I know. And I also do know, that she's well known for her wisdom. She'll know the right thing to do. For now, I will do for him what I can." Níniel got up from the bench and came now face to face with Gandalf. "You're a good man Gandalf. And even though you know a lot about us, you obviously don't know everything. All you wise Elves and Wizards will have to trust me, for I am what you are not. A hobbit. Farewell, my friend," she said turned around and disappeared into the forest.  
  
Very late the same evening, Níniel approached Frodo's home and found the front door open. Although she knew, that no evil could come in and harm him, she was extremely worried. The candles in the hall weren't lit and the rest of the hole was also dark. But Níniel could feel Frodo's presence in the hole and so she started searching for him. To her great relief she found him in the dark kitchen sitting by the open window, staring out into the darkness of the night. As far as she could see in the darkness, his eyes were empty and his face extremely pale again.  
  
"He died," Frodo whispered and a single tear ran down his cheek. Níniel rested a comforting hand on his right shoulder, but said nothing. "But I guess I should be grateful that he could die such a peaceful death," Frodo went on, but his voice never rose above a whisper. Gently Níniel helped Frodo up from his seat and with silent agreement he allowed her to guide him into his bedroom. And once she had made sure, that he was alright, she left Frodo alone.  
  
And then the next day, it happened again. Very early that morning Níniel went into to kitchen to prepare breakfast, when she heard some strange sounds coming from Frodo's room. Accidentally she dropped an egg and almost fell, when she stepped right into the mess, it had left on the floor. Hopping through the living room on one foot, she hurried towards the bedroom at the other end of the hole. She had almost reached the door, when the strange sounds suddenly stopped and the only thing hat still could be heard was Frodo's deep labored breathing. Now it was fright that had the power over Níniel's actions. Although she had a slight idea, what was going on inside, she was still frightened, almost frightened enough to wait in front of the door forever. When she realized, that she had actually spent valuable time standing and staring at the door, Níniel opened it as fast as she could and rushed into the room. Frodo was not in his bed, neither could she see him somewhere else from her point of view. She entered the cozy chamber and started looking for the other hobbit. Níniel could suppress a scream that fought badly to leave her throat. Frodo was laying on the floor, with his eyes opened unnaturally wide and his body totally motionless. She called him by his name, but he would never react. So there was no other choice for her. Through heavy gasps, she somehow managed to lift Frodo from the floor and get him back onto his bed. Now Níniel couldn't afford to lose any more time. She started searching through the bags hidden in the folds of her skirt until she brought some heart shaped silvery leaves out. Níniel unbuttoned Frodo's shirt. The old scar now gleamed in a bright bloody red and she placed the leaves on it. Almost immediately the tension in Frodo's body ceased and he was able to move his eye lids again. The seizure was gone. With a huge sigh of relief she let herself drop onto the bed next to Frodo and took his shaking hands. Frodo wanted to talk to her, but his voice just wouldn't emit from his mouth and so he asked her for a reason with his eyes, that were now mirroring the pain he felt inside.  
  
"It's over," she said in a calming voice and softly caressed his pale, but yet burningly hot cheek. "Just lay back and relax while I'll go and get some herbs for you. You will feel better in no time," she said smiling at him and then let go of his hand. Frodo watched her as she silently sneaked out of his bedroom. Only a few moments later she returned with quite a large jar in one hand and a towel and some large green leaves in the other. She placed all of it on the nightstand next to Frodo's bed and then carefully started to help him out of his shirt. He let it happen, since the pain in his shoulder was still excruciating and he knew, that she would help him. Now Níniel rolled the sleeves up to her elbows and with her left hand she brought some stuff out of the jar, that looked a lot like ordinary mud. Softly she brought it onto Frodo's burning skin and almost immediately the pain was gone.  
  
"Thanks" he sighed out in great relief.  
  
"Sure," she whispered, adding some more of the brown stuff onto his shoulder and then covering it with one of the large leaves. "You'll stay here in bed and I'll go and prepare us some breakfast. You need to eat after this. Just make sure to lay still, while the lhass harnil is working on you." She cleaned her hands with the towel and then slowly put it back on the nightstand. Níniel was about to leave, when Frodo called her back.  
  
"How comes you have an Elfish name?" he asked her watching her closely. She softly smiled. "You haven't asked that Gandalf yet?" she grinned but started to look serious again immediately. "I was brought up by elves and it was their language that I learned first. They've given me the name because they thought it suits me."  
  
"I speak very little Elfish," Frodo admitted. "What does your name mean?"  
  
"Níniel means 'child of tears' and Cuilanathûr means healer of the soul."  
  
"Healer of the soul?" Frodo repeated.  
  
"Yes, I still wonder myself, why they've chosen this name for me. I've never healed any souls in my life, and I don't think that I will." She paused and smiled at pale Frodo. "Rest. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." And without another word to say, she left him alone.  
  
Later the same day Níniel allowed Frodo to get out of bed to join her on a walk outside. Frodo happily accepted and soon they were out in the fresh air of a cool afternoon in late autumn. They had decided to walk along the beach. Frodo enjoyed every minute of it.  
  
"It's beautiful here," he said and took a deep breath. "It's all so peaceful."  
  
"That's why the Elves call it Tol Sîdh - Isle of peace" Níniel said and smiled. "The perfect place for a former ringbearer to rest and heal."  
  
"You know what's strange?" Frodo asked.  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"Even though I couldn't stand it to stay in Hobbiton anymore, I miss the Shire and its people. I know that they've done their best to make me feel as comfortable as possible, but this is not my home."  
  
"It will never be, Frodo. You don't belong here."  
  
"And you do?"  
  
"Both yes and no. I never had a choice. It was my destiny to live here. Everything that happens, happens for some certain reason, we probably know not of. One day you will find out, why you were the chosen one, why you had to go through all of it."  
  
"I wish I already knew," Frodo said. They had stopped and were now standing in the soft white sand watching the mighty sea. "No, to tell the truth, I still wish, none of this had happened."  
  
"It has happened. You cannot make it un-happen. The day you took the ring and you accepted the task, you had started a whole new life. And the same thing happened again, the day the ring had been destroyed. This is - so to say - your personal third age with new tasks and aims."  
  
Frodo considered her words for a while and then he started to walk off again. Níniel silently followed him on his way back into his new life. 


	4. Rivendell

Rivendell  
  
Long time before the ring war had hit Middle Earth and eventually effected the Shire, strange things started to happen in the peaceful land of the hobbits. Even though they had mostly stayed unrecognized by the other peoples of Middle Earth, some dark forces had heard of them. In the year 2970 of the third age everything started.  
  
Murinel Flourish, the baker of the village and Rosmertha Baggins of the Hobbiton Baggins's were a freshly wedded couple and expecting their first child. Their families had been against their relationship and so they had left Hobbiton and Bree, where Murinel originally came from. But even hobbits, who are known to be nice and friendly people, can be very harsh sometimes, and so Murinel and Rosmertha were not accepted. They had to leave the community and went to live somewhere in the Barrow Downs. Their first child, a girl, was born on September 22nd, a very fateful day for the young family. They had no idea, that someone in the dark land of Mordor was watching them for some strange and unknown reason. Both Murinel and Rosmertha were so happy about the birth of their daughter, that they never recognized the fifteen black riders, that were constantly coming closer to their small hut between the two old oaks. Only when the door burst open and the riders stormed in, it was too late and both of them were killed by the lord of Mordor's servants. And that's where the story of Níniel Cuilanathûr begins.  
  
"Go, get the girl," their leader demanded and one of the Nazgûls did as he had been bidden. "And don't harm her. Sauron wants her all for himself."  
  
"Clear," the other Nazgûl said and went to a tiny bed that was standing across the room. Just the very moment that he had approached the bed, he heard a very low voice from behind.  
  
"Touch her and this will be the day of your death," a warning male voice said. The Nazgûl turned around and when he saw, who had actually threatened him, he couldn't help but had to laugh out loud. An old man in gray robes was standing in the door way, in his hand he held a long stake, which he obviously used to lean on.  
  
"I don't think you're to give me orders," the Nazgûl had to laugh now only the more. Just the thought of him being beaten up by an old man made him laugh.  
  
"And I don't think you know who you're talking to," the old man said. Hatred was written in his deep blue eyes, that seemed to have seen eternity.  
  
"And who am I talking to?" asked the Nazgûl who was by no means impressed by the old man.  
  
"You're talking to Gandalf the Gray, if names are so important to you. And I came to take the girl."  
  
"Hear, hear! And what would a wizard like you want with a tiny hobbit?"  
  
"Oh, she has lost her parents and needs some people who will be taking care of her."  
  
"So, I supposed we came here for the same reason, wizard. We're supposed to take this girl to our master, so that he can take care of her." Now the Nazgûl no longer hesitated. His huge hand went into the bed and took the crying little girl out. Like a bag he held her upside down by her feet. "And I will take this hobbit to him."  
  
"Not if I can help it," Gandalf said calmly.  
  
"I'm just afraid you can't" the Nazgûl said. Now his companions started to approach Gandalf, all of them with their swords in hands, ready for a fight they thought, they had already won. But Gandalf was way faster than them and way smarter. Instantly he rose his long stake, murmured some ancient words, none of them understood and then it happened. Six of the fifteen Nazgûls suddenly flew across the room and each of them greeted the ground with a sickening thud. Gandalf, obviously pleased with himself, smiled. The beaten Nazgûls wouldn't move.  
  
"Are you willing to hand me the baby now, please? Or will more of you have to die first? Speak, you one silly leader of a group of nasty creatures."  
  
"You'll never get it!" the leader shouted. "The Dark Lord wants the baby and he shall get it." "As you wish," Gandalf said grimly, his face darkened. Again he murmured ancient spells and now the same thing happened to the remaining nine of the Nazgûls. Gandalf couldn't help it anymore. The baby fell with the last Nazgûl and then everything was silent. The wizard approached the still figure on the ground with the tiny hobbit in his hands. Quickly Gandalf approached them. He wanted to save the baby from this ugly, worst smelling creature of Mordor.  
  
"Oh my, what have they done to thee, my precious little thing," he muttered as he took the girl in his arms. "I shall take thee to the elves. They will find a way to help thee." Just as Gandalf wanted to leave, the girl stirred and woke up. As soon as she saw, that a stranger hold her in his arms, she started to cry again. The old man sighed. He knew, that it would turn out to be a long journey to Rivendell, if the baby wouldn't stop weeping. And it was a seven days ride from the Barrow Downs to Rivendell.  
  
Seven exhausting days of riding on horseback later, Gandalf and the little baby girl arrived in Rivendell, the home of Elrond and his daughter Arwen. The house of the elves was one of the most beautiful and oldest buildings on the surface of Middle Earth. Gandalf had been there many times before, for Elrond was one of the wisest persons of the country. And as so often before, Gandalf had come to seek for his advise. Both, Gandalf and Arwen welcomed him in their friendly way, but would never allow him to come all too close.  
  
"Greetings, old friend," Elrond said and bowed his head slightly. "It's always a pleasure to have you here. Is there anything we can do to help you?"  
  
"Greetings to you, friend, and may your day be bright and blessed. Indeed there is something you can do for -" and now he brought a small bundle of cloth out of his gray robes "her." When Arwen saw, that Gandalf was now actually holding a little baby in his hands, her face brightened and she stormed towards him to take the child. Gandalf happily gave it to her. The girl started to weep again and even Arwen's soothing Elfish lullabies couldn't calm her down. "I shall name you Níniel - child of tears," she said in the common tongue and Elrond nodded. "We shall take care of her," Elrond said toward Gandalf. "But for now you may rest and have something to eat. You are exhausted, I think."  
  
"Indeed, I am. Níniel had it in for me, cried most of the time. Only short distance to Rivendell, she stopped and fell asleep for the first time in seven days," Gandalf replied and fought back a huge yawn.  
  
"Now, what's going to happen with the hobbit," Gandalf asked as he and Elrond dined in the large hall of Rivendell.  
  
"We shall take her to Tol Sîdh. She will be safe there and will be brought up by Elves," Elrond said.  
  
"Can't we bring her back to her people? I have a friend in Hobbiton. He certainly would take her."  
  
"No. It is too dangerous, Gandalf. The Wraths have found her before and they certainly wouldn't mind to destroy a small hobbit village. Tol Sîdh is out of their reach. No harm can come upon Níniel there."  
  
"But she'll have to stay there for the rest of her life, won't she."  
  
"Not necessarily. If she wants to return to her roots, she will be allowed to. Serunam will take her to the isle in a couple of days. He's good with children and the only one willing to go on the trip. Times are getting more dangerous for our kin."  
  
"As for the rest of the world," Gandalf said, suddenly in deep thought. "The day will come soon, I suppose."  
  
"Yes. The first age is long over and Sauron will claim his property."  
  
"This mustn't happen."  
  
"No, never. Is the ring safe?"  
  
"Yes, it is where it has always been. I was on my way to visit the bearer as I found the girl. And still I wonder why Sauron wanted her."  
  
"He probably needed a spy. I think he knows, where the ring is hidden and thought that a hobbit would be the perfect spy. But let's drop this topic for now, since the day, the final ring bearer will be chosen is still far away and many times the earth will circle around the sun. For now, Níniel will leave for Tol Sîdh and so we're safe. But I am sure that this is not the last time that a halfling will pass the threshold of Rivendell." Elrond got up from his seat and bid Gandalf a good night. The old wizard spent some more time in the hall and then left for his private room. He only hoped that Elrond was right. 


	5. Becoming a Hobbit

Becoming a Hobbit  
  
Really early the next morning, Serunam left with Níniel. Somehow Arwen had managed to calm the girl and so the elf had quite an easy time with her. But it was a long way to the Gray Havens where an elven ship would finally take them to the isle. Serunam was a fast rider and so the distance, that would take the man more than three weeks only took him exactly one week. All the time through. Níniel had stayed calm and never wept. But that wouldn't last for long. As soon as they were on the ship, the baby started crying heartily and even though Serunam did his best in taking care of her, he could not make her stop and so he was really happy when they finally reached the shores of Tol Sîdh. They were welcomed by a real committee of other elves and instantly taken to the home of the elves on the isle. Serunam was to talk to an elven woman called Nessea and he insisted on being taken to her instantly. They did as they were bidden and so Níniel was taken to the woman, who would now replace her mother. As Serunam and Níniel entered the great hall of the house, that resembled a real palace, Nessea had been already waiting for them.  
  
"Greetings, friends. Welcome to the house of Nessea where you shall find rest and peace. Tell, what fortune has taken you to the shores of Tol Sîdh?"  
  
"Greetings to thee too, my Lady Nessea. Bad fortune has been with this young being and Elrond and Gandalf the Gray beg thy help."  
  
"As I see, she is not of our kin," Nessea said looking down on the bundle in Serunam's arms. "Indeed she's not, my lady. The Lady Arwen has named her Níniel. She's of the people of the halflings and her parents were killed by the Wraths of the Dark Lord. Masters Elrond and Gandalf think her to be safe within thy reach and ask thee to be her guardian on her way in the future."  
  
"I shall do so," Nessea said and smiled. "Níniel does justice to her character. She's crying." "Indeed. She has been crying constantly for two weeks now and had only paused for a little while as she has still been with Master Gandalf. Even the good Lady Arwen could not make her stop." Serunam walked up to Nessea and handed her the bundle. "I shall give her to the peace and safety of thy arms, my lady."  
  
"So be released from this burden and go your ways in peace, young man. We shall remember you as the messenger of new life. Good fortune and blessings may with you on your way. Greetings to Masters Elrond and Gandalf may be with you on your way home."  
  
"I thank thee, my Lady Nessea. I shall tell them, that Níniel is now in the safety of thy hands. Blessings and good fortune." Serunam turned and left Níniel back in her new life among a kind that was so much unlike her.  
  
*** 33 YEARS LATER ***  
  
"Naneth? Naneth!" Níniel was running through the halls of Adab Calen (the green house), looking for her stepmother. She found her in the library, deep in thought. Now almost ashamed of being so loud before, she sneaked into the large room. "Naneth, do I disturb you?" she carefully asked. The Elfish woman looked up.  
  
"Of course not, my child. What takes you here?" she softly asked.  
  
"Why am I not like everybody else? Look at me! Except for my tiny pointed ears, we have nothing in common! I am so small and my feet are so large and hairy. What has happened to me? Why am I not like the other Elves?"  
  
"Because you are no Elf. You are a hobbit," Nessea smiled and softly caressed Níniel's cheek. "I am a what? But what am I doing here then? There's so much that separates us and yet, there's so much that brings us together. I just don't understand. Why have you never told me." "I was waiting for you to ask, my child. You are from another part of Middle Earth, many miles away from here. You are here, because your parents died the day of your birth and there was no one to take care of you. Master Gandalf, I've told you about him, has found you and your Uncle Serunam has brought you here," Nessea said in a soft voice.  
  
"Please, I want to know all about me. Would you tell me?" Níniel begged and Nessea told her the story of how she had come to the isle, what had happened to her parents and answered all the questions, Níniel had.  
  
"But this is terrible. I mean, I was a burden for everyone ever since I was born. And there's no way for me to pay all those people back for what they have done for me."  
  
"They don't expect you to, my child. You have the most innocent part in all of this and everyone knows, that you have no guilt."  
  
"That doesn't make me feel better. You have taught me everything you know about your healing powers and I own them now too, but still I've only been a burden for everyone."  
  
"My child, you are now our most powerful healer and that's because you are different. You have the blood of halflings running through your veins and the knowledge of Elves. That gives you the ability to heal both kin and not only Elves. Even though Elves can heal people of another kin, they have no way to look into their souls, to see the damages and illnesses there. You have this ability. And you never know, whether you can use it one day."  
  
"But there are no other halflings like me around."  
  
"Not now. But there'll probably be one day. You can never know that."  
  
"I wish I could."  
  
"You can't, not now. Be patient and use your skills and talents wisely, for your sake and the sake of others." Nessea now saw, that Níniel was crying. She lowered her head and kissed the young hobbit on her forehead. "Don't cry my child, though your name says that you are a child of tears. There are so many things that should bring you joy and happiness. Cherish them, for there will be rough days, when you will think back to them and you will be happy to have such memories. I love you, my child." Níniel looked up to the Elf who had always been like a mother to her and a smile appeared through her tears.  
  
"Thank you Naneth, my mother. I love you too."  
  
"Now go and do some good. I guess there's plenty of work in the house of healing."  
  
"Oh, indeed there is for we got visitors from Minas Tirith the other day and I was asked to teach them some abilities, they don't have."  
  
"Then go, and don't cry anymore my child. You can do so much good. And when you come back, I'll have a little surprise for you for it is your birthday."  
  
"I can't wait. I'll come back as soon as I am done."  
  
"This is fine with me. Now go and do what they ask you to do." With a smile on her lips, Níniel left Nessea back alone in the library and was on her way to teach those, who didn't know.  
  
The same evening Níniel was called to the private rooms of Nessea and she immediately followed the order. Too overwhelming was her curiosity what Nessea had prepared for her day of honor. She found Nessea all dressed in warm clothes and there were some for her too. "Are we going for a walk?" Níniel said as she discovered the preparations.  
  
"Sort of. Dress quickly and you shall find out." Nessea said smiling at the young hobbit. Soon they were on their way out of Adab Calen and they went for a long walk through the forests and fields of Tol Sîdh. Eventually they approached an area with lovely green hills. It was already dark outside and Níniel couldn't see much. But Nessea's steps had become faster and they obviously were close to where Nessea wanted to go to. Eventually among two hills they came to a halt. Níniel didn't say a word, even though she was extremely curious, what Nessea wanted to show her out there.  
  
"Níniel, do you remember, when I've told you about the halflings?" Nessea asked.  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"I've told you that they live in holes beneath hills."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're celebrating a very special birthday today, my child, because you turn thirty-three. For a hobbit that means, that he or she is becoming of age, that you're now finally an adult and have to live on your own," Nessea explained, but Níniel didn't answer. "I want to show you your new home."  
  
"My new home?"  
  
"Yes. Follow me." Nessea went towards one of the hills and only now Níniel saw, that there actually was a round door in it between two round windows. A path through a beautiful garden with all sorts of flowers and herbs led to it and as Nessea approached it, the door swung open all on itself. "Come in," she said and entered. She had to bend down, since the door was way too small for her. Níniel followed her close behind. She kind of liked the idea of having her own home. The inside revealed a welcoming entrance hall. The walls were painted in a bright white with a drawing every here and there. The floor was laid out with some sort of a dark wood. To her left there was a door that led into a cozy living room with a fireplace and comfortable looking armchairs. A small desk and chair were standing on the other side of the room and a bookshelf stood next to it. And everything seemed to be made for people of her size. Nessea sat down in one of the armchairs and watched Níniel discovering the room. A couple of minutes later she was joined by the hobbit, who sat down in the arm chair next to her.  
  
"What do you think?" Nessea asked.  
  
"It is wonderful," Níniel whispered and a single tear ran down her cheek. "You really want to give me all this?"  
  
"Of course. It is yours. I'm glad that you like it."  
  
"Oh I do. Thank you, Naneth."  
  
"You're very welcome. I'm going to leave you alone now, so that you can get used to your new home. Good night, my child."  
  
"Good night - mother. I'll be coming to see you very often."  
  
"I know." Nessea got up and after she and Níniel had embraced each other for the longest time, she left the hobbit home. The very moment that she passed the threshold, a tear ran down the woman's cheek and she left her 'daughter' back to live her life on her own - and without her.  
  
"Soon Níniel was known as the healer of the hills and many people came to seek for her help. Níniel lived a good life, even though she sometimes felt very lonely. But she got used to it and ever since, she is one of the most respected persons here on the isle. She's helped many people," Gandalf finished.  
  
"So this is how she came here?" Frodo said silently his eyes resting on the dancing flames of the fire in the living room. "That's the most wondrous story, I've ever heard. So, Sauron wanted her to be his spy in Hobbiton?"  
  
"Yes, he did, but as you can see, we've destroyed his plan."  
  
"And good it is, that you have. She's gone through a lot. Now I do not only know why her name is Child of Tears, but understand. Compared to her I was really lucky, even though my parents have died and made me an orphan."  
  
"Don't you think, that she's been lucky too?"  
  
"I don't know. It must have been hard for to be different from all around her all life long." "She's not anymore."  
  
"Certainly not." Frodo paused and smiled at his old friend. Then his smile faded and fell back into deep thought.  
  
"What?" Gandalf asked.  
  
"I was just wondering. If you have killed fifteen Nazgûls, how comes there were still the nine of them left to hunt us?"  
  
"That can easily be explained. The fifteen Nazgûls that I killed, were not the same as the ones, that had hunt you. The later ones, were ringbearers themselves, the former kings of man."  
  
"I see." Again Frodo paused, but the smile never returned to his face. "Gandalf, I hope you don't mind me, but I am really tired. It's become late."  
  
"Indeed," Gandalf smiled back at him. "I bid you a good night for now. I'm leaving for a couple of days. I want to see the Lady Galadriel and Elrond."  
  
"Then go with the brightest blessings and good fortune," Frodo said and got up from his chair to accompany Gandalf on his way to the door. He had already set a foot over the threshold, when he turned around once more.  
  
"Are you feeling any better, Frodo?"  
  
"A little. But still I feel this pressure of unhappy days laying heavily upon my soul and body."  
  
"I see. Good night, my friend," Gandalf smiled and then left the hobbit. Frodo closed the door behind him. Slowly he returned to the living room and under some severe moans of pain he let himself drop into his armchair. The pain in his shoulder and hand had returned earlier that evening and all the time he had tried to hide it from the wizard. Frodo's thoughts wandered back to the Shire, to Hobbiton, Bag End, Sam an his family. He missed his old life - his life before the Ring War, the time before the Ring Wraths had started to hunt him. But on the other hand he knew, that this was the past and at the same time he knew, that Tol Sîdh was his present and future and that thought, was most depressing. 


	6. Shadows of the past

Shadows of the past  
  
Níniel came to see Frodo quite early the next morning. She had paid Nessea a visit and felt quite bad, that she hadn't spent the night in the downs. And so she went straightly toward the second Bag End there on the isle. It was a cold day and she found it hard to protect herself from the heavily pouring rain. Heavy gray clouds covered the sky high above her and she felt very uncomfortable. Hopefully Frodo was doing okay in his cozy warm home. Little did she know. After a walk that seemed to last eternally, she finally reached Frodo's hole. She knocked against the door and waited for someone to open. But no one would. Níniel knocked again and still no one would open. Slowly becoming nervous she ran to the window to her left and peered through it. Inside it was dark, the fire in the living room's fireplace had long burned out, even the ashes seemed to have cooled down already. With an index finger she silently knocked against the glass of the window and by the sound of it, something inside the hole moved. Again Níniel knocked, way stronger this time and something moved again. Just still no one would open the door for her. But she could hear some sounds coming from inside, sounds and moans of hardship and pain.  
  
"Frodo," Níniel whispered and now she had to do something, she had once sworn she would never do. Slowly she returned to the main entrance and then lifted her arms. She murmured some elfish words and then, all of a sudden, the door swung open magically. Níniel stormed inside and was shocked, when she discovered Frodo. "Oh my God!" she cried out silently and jumped towards the still form in the armchair. Frodo's face had all turned white and his eyes looked into a far distance. Even though he was not physically unconscious, his mind was far away and he never recognized, that he wasn't alone anymore. Níniel continued examining him and found blood on his white shirt, right over his left shoulder. As her eyes continued wandering down on him, she saw, that his hand also rested in a pool of blood. The old wounds had finally broken up again. Quickly Níniel tore his shirt from his body and examined the larger wound more closely. Blood was streaming out of it and just wouldn't stop. The young hobbit searched the bags of her cape and finally found some herbs that she put onto the open wound. The bleeding still wouldn't stop, but lessened a lot. She did the same with the wound on his hand and then - to her relief - some color returned to the pale man's face. With all her might and strength, she forced herself to lift Frodo up into her arms and then shaking and stumbling, she carried him into his bedroom. As she dropped him onto the bed, he suddenly started mumbling and dark fantasies washed over him. Obviously he dreamed, that he was back in Mordor, a prisoner of orcs all naked and humiliated laying in the middle of a huge dark room. And every once in a while there was this sound, that he couldn't define, but it meant horrible pain for him. The whips, the orcs had used on him. While Frodo was laying restless in his uneasy feverish daydream, Níniel ran back into the kitchen to get some water and cloths. She needed to cool down the heat of Frodo's body quickly and since she didn't have the right herbs at hand, she had to it with simple ice cold water. When she returned, she saw that neither of the wounds was bleeding anymore, but Frodo was still running a high fever and having fantasies of the earlier days. Just the locations had switched. Now he was back in the shire and with a weird grimace of happiness on his face, he told himself of his fellow hobbits, the village, the beautiful time he used to have there.  
  
"I wish Naneth would be here. I could need a hand," Níniel mumbled as she put a new cold cloth on Frodo's burning forehead. 'I'm here my child' she suddenly heard a voice in her mind. Níniel jumped up and scanned the room. No one was there except for her and Frodo. She shook her head and sat down again on the bed. 'Don't be afraid, my child. You can hear me, because I allow you to read my mind,' there it was again the voice and this time Níniel was less frightened.  
  
"Naneth, I need help with this man. I don't have the necessary supplies," she said out loud, although she wasn't sure, whether Nessea had heard her.  
  
'I know, my child. I've already sent you the fastest riding Elf who will bring you all that you need. He should be there in no time,' the voice in her head said.  
  
"Thank you, Naneth," Níniel said and then looked down at Frodo again. She didn't have the time now, to think about what had just happened, because the hobbit, that was laying in front of her, was her only sorrow now. Frodo was jumping from one point in his past to the next. Now he was telling weird things about their fight against the Nazgûls at Weathertop, the place where he had received his almost fatal wound. Níniel kept on changing the cloths until she heard a knock on the door. She went to open the door and outside was Glorfindel, the Elf who had once saved Frodo's life after the attack of the Nazgûls. He was now living on Tol Sîdh as well.  
  
"Greetings, my Lady Níniel Cuilanathûr. The Lady Nessea sends me to bring thee these herbs."  
  
"Thank you, Glorfindel," Níniel said tiredly and already wanted to close the door again, but Glorfindel started to speak again.  
  
"My lady, wouldst thou mind, if I paid Master Frodo a visit? The two of us have a history together."  
  
"Any time, Glorfindel, but now. He's not well. But I'm sure you'll be allowed to pay him a visit, once he'll be better," Níniel said. She somehow felt sorry that she had to disappoint the Elf.  
  
"As thou bidst, my lady. I shall return when thy willst allow me to."  
  
"I will let you know."  
  
"I thank thee, my Lady Níniel. May brightest blessings be with you," Glorfindel said and left. "With you too, my friend," Níniel said and then returned to Frodo. He had calmed down some and wasn't talking in his sleep anymore. Níniel felt somewhat relieved, but still she was extremely concerned. As she wanted to change the wet cloth again, it was almost dry as she took it from his forehead and extremely hot. If she wanted to save his life, she had to bring the fever down real fast. It was hard for her to see him like this, but at least she had ways to help him. And this thought kept her going. Níniel put a freshly wetted cloth on Frodo's forehead and then headed for the kitchen. She had to make some tea against the fever and besides she wanted to make and ointment, that would make Frodo's wounds more sensible for future attempts to get the poison out of the poor man's beaten body. Níniel now had to work quickly. The tea she was about to make, consisted of many different herbs and it required a special way of being made. But the elves had been good teachers and Níniel their best student and so she knew, what she had to do. Every once in a while she went back to Frodo's bedroom to change the cloth and see, whether he had woken up or anything else had changed. But nothing had happened. Frodo was still deeply unconscious and Níniel had to wait until both the tea and the ointment would be ready. So there was nothing left for her to do, but to check on Frodo's heartbeat and change the cloth for the rest of the morning until late in the afternoon. And the longer it took her to finish the ointment and the tea, the more she got worried about him. His heartbeat became weaker and weaker, his breathing just the more labored.  
  
"Oh dear," she sighed as she looked down at Frodo's pale face. "You can't die now! There are so many people out there who care for you," she continued with a desperate voice. "I mean, don't you think that Sam would like to see you again? What about Gandalf? Do you actually know, how much he cares for you? And what about me? You are the first hobbit, that I've ever seen in my life. There are so many things that I want to ask you, that I want to know. Besides I happen to like you. You mean a lot to me." She paused and wiped away the one single tear, that was softly making its way down her rosy cheek. "And at good last, what about you, Frodo Baggins? I know that you actually want to return to the Shire one day, that you want to go home. Perhaps you want a family of your own one day, a good wife and some kids, who'd be desperate to hear about their father's adventures in a far away country they probably will never see in their life." Níniel took the dried cloth from his forehead, wetted it freshly and put it back on. "You will get through this, do you hear me? You'll make it." She softly kissed Frodo on his nose and then looked outside the window. It had turned dark outside quickly and for her this was the signal, that both the ointment and the tea should be ready. Quickly she headed for the kitchen and got everything ready that she would need for Frodo's further treatment. But soon she realized that it was quite hard to work properly, when one's eyes are blinded with tears. Níniel tried to suppress them as best as she could, but had no chance against her feelings. The ointment and the tea were ready and so she returned to Frodo's bedchamber. Even though she had dressed both wounds properly, blood was slowly coming through the dressings and she had to change them. The wound on Frodo's shoulder shone in a dangerous dark red and still some blood came out of it. Níniel wiped the last tears away and then started to wash the wound with some of the tea. As she had finished drying it off, the bleeding had subsided and she could now put the ointment on the wound. Carefully she covered the whole area surrounding it with the lilac balm and then dressed it again. Then the same procedure started all over again, as she proceeded to take care of his hand. When she was finished, she tried to get some of the tea into his mouth with little success. Frodo just wouldn't gulp it down and so she had to give it up.  
  
The dressings had to be renewed four times a day and after a week had passed, Frodo seemed to get better again, even though he didn't wake up. Sometimes Níniel would talk to the unconscious Frodo, sometimes to herself, just to keep her going. As long as she could talk to him, she didn't have to face the fact, that Frodo probably wouldn't make it. With all the patience of the world and all the strength she could find within herself, she kept on taking care of Frodo for two more weeks. She did everything for him, everything within her might; she washed down the cold sweat of frightening dreams and would change his clothes when they were wet from the sweat of fear. Níniel would talk to him all day long; she told him stories from her childhood, about Tol Sîdh, the Elves and some other strange kinds, that would visit the isle every once in a while. Sleep was some valuable extravagance, she hardly ever allowed herself to enjoy, and if she did then only for a very short while.  
  
And then, one day, Gandalf came to pay Frodo a visit. All the time he had been on his trip to Galadriel and had no idea of what had happened to the former ringbearer. So he was quite surprised, when Níniel told him the whole story over a cup of strong tea in the living room. "Do you need help in any way? I know, that I cannot compare my powers with yours, but if there's anything, that I can do for you," Gandalf offered, after they had sat in silence for a while.  
  
"Well, there actually is something that you could do for me," Níniel hesitatingly began and looked up in the wizard's old face. He nodded his head, encouraging her to go on. "Well, I think I got to know Frodo quite well in the meantime, but still I'm not sure who he really is. After all what I've heard and read about hobbits, no normal hobbit would go on a journey as he did. And he has taken the ring, even though that one Nazgûl almost killed him. I don't quite understand, why he has done all of it."  
  
"Níniel, why are you here on the isle?"  
  
"It was my destiny," she answered instantly.  
  
"And it was Frodo's destiny to take the ring and destroy it."  
  
"He hasn't destroyed it after all. It was Gollum."  
  
"No, that's not quite true. I know that it was Gollum who sort of threw the ring into the fires, but if Frodo hadn't fought so hard for the ring, none of this would have ever happened. Actually I've talked to Elrond and Galadriel about Frodo. They think, that the power of the ring, that still used to be inside of him after the ring had been taken away from him, should be gone."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, he has given a part of himself so that the ring could be destroyed."  
  
"His finger."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"That helps me to understand the whole ordeal with the ring, but I think it's too simple to explain him taking the ring with a simple phrase as destiny. It can't be destiny - he still had a choice."  
  
"No, not really. Even though Frodo really wanted to get rid of it, he couldn't because the ring had already gained to much power over him. He couldn't allow anybody else to take it. It's that simple."  
  
"I see." Níniel was confused, because she didn't understand everything about the whole story of the One Ring, but actually she didn't care. "Excuse me, Gandalf. I need to look after Frodo." She got up from her seat and went to see how Frodo was doing. He was still unconscious when she entered his bed chamber, so she only checked on the dressings once more and tried to pour some of the tea into him - again with little success.  
  
"You're doing a lot for him," suddenly Gandalf said from behind. Silently he had followed her and was now standing in front of the open door in the hall.  
  
"Sometimes I doubt, it's enough."  
  
"It's more than enough. He looks terrible."  
  
"He's been worse," Níniel whispered, softly caressing Frodo's white cheek.  
  
"I know. I only wonder, why he's only become so bad here on Tol Sîdh. He's had these seizures before, but he's never been that sick."  
  
"Don't you know, Gandalf? There's no evil on this isle and there obviously still are dark powers within Frodo. This isle sort of has a sense for it. It forces the evil to come out and then destroys it. Even if it's within the body of a living creature."  
  
"That's weird."  
  
"No, that's good. That's the only reason, why Sauron could never get to this isle. It would have killed him instantly," Níniel explained. Gandalf sighed out deeply.  
  
"I'm not sure whether it was the right thing to take him here."  
  
"Tell me, is it better to live on with the pain and sickness of the past instead of getting rid of all of it and getting the chance to live a normal, a joyous life again?"  
  
"Certainly not."  
  
"Now you may ask your question again, in case it hasn't been answered yet," Níniel said keeping her eyes fixed on the old man's face. "See, it was good, that you've brought him here," she continued, as Gandalf didn't make any further attempt to ask her the same question again. "Wanna stay with him a little while longer?"  
  
"No. It's hard for me to see him suffer like this. Sometimes I do really have some strange human attitudes," Gandalf sighed and Níniel saw, how he tried to blink a couple of tears away.  
  
"That's okay. I'll let you know when there should be any news on Frodo - good or bad."  
  
"Thank you, Níniel. Nessea was right. You've really become a very wise young hobbit."  
  
"Well, I think Naneth is a very wise woman," Níniel smiled. "May peace be with you on your way." And with these last words from her, Gandalf left. Níniel turned to watch Frodo in his sleep. "Sleep with angels," she whispered and then left him alone in order to make some fresh tea. 


	7. Relief

Relief  
  
Frodo woke up with a start. Something heavy was laying on his breast. The ring, the one ring. He wanted to shove it away, but then he realized, that it was not the ring, that gave him difficulty breathing. Actually something soft, something that felt like silk met the touch of his hand. Slowly he managed to open his eyes and a smile kissed his pale lips, when he saw, what was actually laying on top of him. It was Níniel, who obviously had fallen asleep. Frodo gazed out of the window. The sun just wandered up from behind the horizon and very silently and from obviously very far away, he could hear some birds singing.  
  
"Níniel?" he said hoarsely, because his throat was extremely dry. She stirred a little but didn't wake. "Níniel?!" he repeated, his voice now a little stronger. Frodo could see how one eye on her sleepy face popped open. Suddenly she jumped up and stood above Frodo with her mouth wide open.  
  
"You're awake!" she gasped and a smile curved her lips. "You're finally awake!" she repeated, as if she first had to convince herself, that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.  
  
"How long have I been out?" Frodo whispered, trying to smile at her, but suffered a horrible failure.  
  
"For more than three weeks. How are you feeling?" she asked now laying her hand on his forehead. "The fever's gone."  
  
"I'm neither feeling well nor bad. Just a little tired."  
  
"I see. Well, before you fall back asleep, do you mind drinking some of this tea? You haven't had exactly much of fluids lately." Níniel gave him the mug and he gladly accepted it. Frodo emptied it totally. "That's my good boy," Níniel smiled. "Now, do you want to sleep? Shall I leave you alone?"  
  
"NO!" Frodo gasped. "No. Please, I'd like to get up. My back is killing me."  
  
"You've spent quite some time on it, mind you." She walked up to him in order to help him out of his bed and get him on his feet, but Frodo shook his head as he realized what she was up to.  
  
"Do you mind? I'd like to try it myself," he said and gave her a look with his huge blue eyes, she just couldn't resist.  
  
"Of course not. Give me a sign, in case you should need a hand." Frodo nodded and sat up in his bed. Only then he realized, that his shoulder was dressed as well as his hand. "Wait, let me check on your dressings, before you get out of bed. It's easier to do it here."  
  
"As long as I don't have to lay back again, it should be okay." Frodo smiled and so did Níniel.  
  
About an hour later, both of them were sitting in the kitchen. Frodo had his first proper meal in weeks and even though Níniel didn't allow him to eat everything that he wanted to, he really enjoyed it. To their both relief, the wounds looked a lot better now and so Níniel had only put on very small dressings. Frodo had to admit that he actually felt good, after all that he had been through the previous three weeks. The only thing that sort of both confused and worried him, was Níniel. She looked extremely pale and exhausted and Frodo couldn't get rid of the thought, that this was his fault. The very same moment, that he wanted to ask her whether she wanted to get some sleep, a knock on the front door cut him off. Níniel immediately got up from her seat and went to open the door. It was Gandalf standing outside.  
  
"What a pleasant surprise," Frodo heard Níniel say. "There's someone who wants to see you."  
  
"Is he awake?" he heard Gandalf say.  
  
"Yes, come in. Careful with your head." Gandalf followed Níniel into the kitchen where Frodo was still sitting over his now empty plate.  
  
"Why don't you go and make yourselves comfortable in the living room. I'll fetch you some tea."  
  
"That sounds good to me," Gandalf said and smiled down at Frodo. "It's good to see you with your eyes open, my friend."  
  
"It's good to see you too, Gandalf," Frodo said getting up from his seat. They both went to the living room and sat down in front of the fireplace. Níniel brought them two cups of hot tea and returned to the kitchen to get some more work done there. That gave Frodo and Gandalf the chance to talk privately. At first they both refused to talk about Frodo's illness, but in the end, Frodo could no longer hold his thoughts back.  
  
"I'm concerned about Níniel," he said staring into the crackling fire.  
  
"Why?" Gandalf said in surprise.  
  
"She looks terrible. I assume these previous three weeks have been too much for her."  
  
"She's a hobbit. She will manage."  
  
"You know, sometimes I think, that you still don't know that much about us. Even a hobbit can't bear everything. I mean, with her taking care of me and everything, it just kind of makes me feel guilty."  
  
"But taking care of the sick is her job. That's what she's here for."  
  
"Is that all that she is to you? A healer? Have you ever tried to see what lies beyond her proud appearance? I think she's a very sensitive woman, who's expecting more from life, than serving everybody else all life long. I guess you've never seen that little corner in her eyes, that shows that she's missing something."  
  
"And what would that something be?" Gandalf said. He was surprised at how emotional the hobbit had suddenly become.  
  
"I wish, I knew. It's just that she sometimes seems to be like a fish, that is out of the ocean, if you get my point." They kept their silence for a while, since both of them didn't know how to handle this problem; Frodo, because he felt guilty and Gandalf, because he had to admit to himself, that Níniel had never been more to him than a healer. He had never recognized her as a woman. Frodo got up from his chair. "You know, I haven't smoked my pipe in quite a while. I'll be right back." Frodo went into the kitchen to get his pipe. When he entered he found Níniel asleep. She was sleeping with her head resting on the table. In her hand she still held some herbs and a knife. Silently Frodo returned into the living room. "Gandalf, would you mind lending me a hand?" he whispered. Gandalf also got up and Frodo led him into the kitchen. Frodo signaled Gandalf to lift Níniel in his arms and then to follow him. Frodo led the wizard into his bedroom. He drew the blankets back and told Gandalf to lay Níniel down on it. Then he carefully covered her with the blankets. Quietly they both sneaked out of the room again and returned into the living room. But Frodo wouldn't sit down.  
  
"Would you mind to go out for a little walk. I'd like to catch some fresh air." Gandalf happily agreed and soon both of them were outside, walking through the soft hills of the downs.  
  
"I was really concerned about you, Frodo. Things looked bad for you. Níniel might have saved your life," Gandalf said after an almost eternal silence between the two of them.  
  
"She has saved my life, Gandalf. I don't remember a lot of the previous three weeks. But even though I was unconscious, I always knew, that I was not alone. Otherwise, I certainly would have given up. There were so many moments when I thought, that if I'd do that one more single step, everything would be over at last. That would have meant death for me and death meant a relief. But something held me back. It was a feeling, as if I'd disappoint someone really badly, in case I'd chosen death."  
  
"Was that special person Níniel?"  
  
"I'd say so. We have way more in common, than I had first thought. We both don't have a real home and at long last we're both alone with our burdens and problems. None of us, does have another person, that really understands about being lonely and being forced into something, that you actually never intended to do."  
  
"Well, I think we should be grateful, that you met her." Gandalf looked smilingly down at his friend. To him, Frodo looked extremely exhausted and tired. "Don't you think it's time for you to go back home? I bet if Níniel wakes up and won't find you, she'll alarm all of the isle." Frodo sighed out heavily.  
  
"You're right. It feels good to be out in the fresh air, but I'm really tired."  
  
"That's what I thought. Let's go back then." Gandalf said and rested his long arm on the smaller man's shoulder. "You know, each and every person in Middle Earth owes you a lot. You've saved their lives and their future. They - we - are forever in your debt."  
  
"And still there are so many, whose lives I could not save," Frodo said quietly and together they went back to Frodo's cave.  
  
Níniel woke up in the early evening of the same day. She got up quickly after she had realized, that she had actually been sleeping in Frodo's bed. Looking around, she wondered where Frodo was. Walking through one of the many tunnel-like halls, she got into the living room, where she found Frodo asleep in one of the armchairs in front of the fire in the living room. Silently she sneaked past him and to her surprise she found Gandalf sitting in the kitchen.  
  
"Hello," she said in surprise but yet smiled at the old wizard.  
  
"Hello," he answered and smiled back at her. "How are you doing?"  
  
"Well, I've slept, when I should better have not. But I feel better now. Refreshed, you know." "I see. You've done a pretty good job on Frodo. He's a lot better."  
  
"The physical wounds are healed completely now," she said silently and looked sadly down to the ground.  
  
"I know what you mean. The other wounds need a lot of time and patience to heal." Gandalf got up from his chair and signaled her to sit down. "Take a seat. I shall get you a cup of tea," he said and poured her one. Níniel sat down and took the cup from him.  
  
"Thanks. I guess we've reached a point, where I cannot be of any help anymore. He's got to do the rest on his own."  
  
"Both yes and no. The remaining wounds will only heal, if he allows them too. But your job's not done yet. You know, he thinks the world of you."  
  
"That won't help him."  
  
"It will. He's no longer alone in this world. With Merry and Pippin and especially Sam gone, there was no one left he could rely on. Now there's somebody again. That gives him strength."  
  
"Have you talked to him?" she asked.  
  
"Indeed, yes I have. Frodo's very grateful to you."  
  
"I've just done for him, what I would have done for everybody else," she said and added some more sugar to her cup and started to play nervously with her spoon.  
  
"I don't think so, Níniel. You've done more for him. And I'd say, that you feel more for him than for anybody else before."  
  
"No!" Níniel insisted. "He's just a normal patient."  
  
"Is he?" Gandalf grinned. "Well, whatever you say, Níniel. Your mother and I think differently."  
  
"Naneth is a wise woman. She knows that to me he's just a normal person who needs care," Níniel said becoming angry.  
  
"Calm down. It's alright. I think I should leave anyway. It's already dark outside."  
  
"You can spend the night here, if you want," Níniel said, got up from her seat and started washing the dishes. "I'm going to prepare dinner now."  
  
"Thanks, your offer's appreciated and accepted."  
  
"Well, then go and join Frodo. Wake him up or join him in his sleep. Whatever you want. I certainly don't like men in the kitchen. So get going," Níniel said harshly, her back still turned to Gandalf.  
  
"As you wish, my lady," Gandalf couldn't help it but had to grin. He knew very well how deeply red Níniel had blushed. 


	8. And life goes on

And life goes on  
  
Quickly Gandalf got up from his chair and went to join Frodo in the living room. The hobbit wasn't asleep anymore. Instead he was sitting still in his chair and watched the fire.  
  
"You shouldn't do that, you know," he said as he heard the wizard coming in.  
  
"Do what?" Gandalf said innocently and sat down.  
  
"Talking her into things. Can't you just leave her alone?"  
  
"Well, why should I? I'm just telling the truth. That's all."  
  
"Yeah, certainly," Frodo said angrily.  
  
"Why are you so annoyed?" "I'm not annoyed. It's just that I think, that you're not fair. She's been nice and friendly to both of us and you're treating her like a child."  
  
"That might be, because the first time I saw her, she's still been a child."  
  
"Well, she's not anymore."  
  
"Yes, you're right. She's a full grown woman now. But let's change the topic. Tell me, my friend, how do you feel?"  
  
"I don't know," Frodo said and kept on staring into the fire.  
  
"What do you mean, you don't know?"  
  
"That I don't know. That's all," Frodo said, anger flicking up in his voice again.  
  
"You just don't want to tell me, do you."  
  
"Listen, who do you think you are?" Frodo shouted, jumping up from his chair. "You come here, tell everybody stories about the dead horse and think that you're funny. Well, I tell you that you're not. Why can't you just leave me alone? You've talked me into that whole ring thing, both you and Bilbo. Think I can take everything? Well, I can't. You've taken my home from me, you've taken my life and I am supposed to accept it." Frodo's eyes literally shot daggers at Gandalf. His face was red with anger. "Tell me one reason, why I shouldn't hate you." These were Frodo's final words. He stormed out of the living room. Where, Gandalf couldn't tell. The only thing he could do, was to watch Frodo go, both in surprise and shock about his reaction. For a while he just sat there and couldn't believe, what had just happened.  
  
"He didn't mean it," he could suddenly hear Níniel say silently from behind. Gandalf turned around and saw her standing in the door. "Come. Dinner's ready." Gandalf went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. "I shall go and check, whether Frodo wants to eat something. I'll be right back." She left the kitchen and went to Frodo's bedroom. He wasn't there. Next on her list was his private room, where neither her nor he had ever been before. And yet she found him there. He was reading in a huge red book.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked softly.  
  
"Yes," he answered shortly without looking up from his book.  
  
"Don't be angry with Gandalf. He's always been up for the best."  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
"Do you want to eat?"  
  
"No. Haven't I told you to leave me alone?" Frodo said with an angry voice.  
  
"Of course," Níniel said silently and turned to leave.  
  
"Wait," Frodo suddenly demanded. Níniel turned to face him. He had gotten up from his chair. "I think you should leave. Thanks for everything."  
  
"You want me to leave?" Níniel couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Why?"  
  
"That's my business. Now go. And never come back," Frodo said silently. His eyes told her that he meant, what he was saying. Níniel lowered her head.  
  
"You know where to find me, in case you should need me," she whispered, trying hard to fight back the tears that began to well up in her eyes.  
  
"I won't need you anymore. Farewell." Frodo sat down again and read on. Níniel stood in his room for a couple of moments more and then she left, silently closing the door behind her. Slowly she walked to the closet in the hall and got her cape out. Quickly she put it on and then headed for the door. Without a last look back, she left Frodo's hole.  
  
Gandalf was still sitting in the kitchen waiting for Níniel to come back, when he heard the front door being opened and quickly closed again. Curios what was going on he got up and went into the entrance hall. He opened the front door and in the distance he could see a small person, running quickly away. Gandalf figured that it was Níniel. Wondering what had happened, he went to find Frodo, even though he knew, that he was the last person, the hobbit would want to see. As Níniel short time before him, he found him in his private room, sitting in a huge leather armchair, reading in his huge red book. Frodo hadn't heard him coming in, so he jumped up from his chair in surprise, when he suddenly heard Gandalf's voice.  
  
"Where's Níniel going?" the wizard asked him.  
  
"What are you doing in here? I've never asked you to come in," Frodo snarled. "I've told her to leave and not to come back again."  
  
"You have what? Are you crazy?" Gandalf gasped shocked.  
  
"No. And with this, I ask you to do the same. I don't want any of you here. Go." Frodo sat down again and continued reading his book.  
  
"What's wrong with you? You can't do this."  
  
"I can. Farewell."  
  
"Frodo, I don't know you anymore." Gandalf said, expecting an answer. But Frodo wouldn't give him one. "Talk to me. You can't just turn your back at everybody, who cares for you." Still Frodo didn't say a word. Gandalf stood still for a while and watched the hobbit. But he gave no sign of saying anything. He just completely ignored the wizard. Slowly the old man turned around and left Frodo and the hole. When Frodo heard the front door being closed he looked up from his book. A tear ran down his cheek and he made sure to quickly wipe it away. He seemed to consider something for a while and then he continued reading.  
  
*** SIX MONTHS LATER - EARLY AUGUST ***  
  
Níniel was out in the garden digging her herb patches, when a small carriage approached her hole. It was Gandalf. He brought the horse to a halt right in front of the gate in the fence and slowly crawled down from his vehicle.  
  
"Good day to you, Níniel."  
  
"Good day to you too, Gandalf. How are you?" she smiled at him and put her spade aside.  
  
"I'm doing fine, thank you. Everything okay with you too?"  
  
"Yes, I'm doing okay. Wanna come in and have something to drink?"  
  
"Yes, why not?" Gandalf said and they both went into her hole. Níniel headed straight for the kitchen, but Gandalf stood in the hallway, as if he would have turned into stone.  
  
"This is amazing," he whispered and couldn't take his eye off his surroundings. The entrance hall of Níniel's hole was totally different from any hobbit home, that he had ever seen before. Bundles of herbs hang down from the walls everywhere and covered them completely. Slowly Gandalf moved on into the living room and found it all stuffed with books and rolls of parchment. It was quite chaotic.  
  
"Coming?" Níniel's voice tore him out of his daydreams.  
  
"Um, yes," Gandalf said and forced a smile. "Sure."  
  
A couple of moments later they both sat at her huge kitchen table. Níniel had brought some wine for the wizard and some beer for herself. She wasn't really fond of wine.  
  
"You've haven't been here in a while," Níniel said. "I hope the world has treated you kindly."  
  
"Yes. Actually I've come to check on Frodo. Have you seen or talked to him lately?"  
  
"I have seen him, but not talked to him," Níniel said sadly. "He's been completely ignoring me ever since that one night."  
  
"What do you mean, you've seen him, but not talked to him?"  
  
"Well, sometimes business forces me to walk past his hole and I've seen him a couple of times working outside in his garden. He seems to be doing okay, but I cannot tell you more, since he always went inside when he saw me walking up the road."  
  
"So he still refuses to see you?" Gandalf asked.  
  
"He refuses to see anybody," Níniel sadly said.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Well, a couple of days ago, Glorfindel came to pay me a visit. He has told me that he's tried to visit Frodo a couple of times, but he would never open the door, even though he was at home. Glorfindel was pretty upset."  
  
"For some good reason. Why does he refuse to let anyone near him? I don't understand that," Gandalf said and took a huge sip from his wine.  
  
"Probably he's afraid, that he could be hurt again. I sort of understand that, even though it makes me very sad at the same time."  
  
"You miss him, don't you," Gandalf asked. But it was more sort of a realization, than a question. Níniel nodded.  
  
"I haven't even had a chance yet to get to know him. Most of the time, that I've been with him, he's been unconscious. I would love to know him better, because I think he's a great man."  
  
"Do you love him?" Gandalf asked in a way, that only allowed the truth for an answer. Níniel, who had been staring into her jar all the time, now looked up.  
  
"I love him as a friend, Gandalf. My heart doesn't allow me to feel more than friendship." Gandalf nodded in silent understanding. They both kept silent for a while until Níniel got up from her seat. "I'm sorry Gandalf, but I have to go. There's somebody waiting for me."  
  
"A patient?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay. I shall visit you again soon." He approached the tiny hobbit woman and then gave her a hug. "Take care of yourself, Níniel."  
  
"You too," she said and gave him a smile. Níniel quickly grabbed a couple of herbs, stuffed them into her pouch and then left.  
  
Gandalf wasn't sure about what he was supposed to do. He urgently wanted to visit Frodo, but didn't dare to. On the other hand, standing around like a fool didn't make any sense to him neither. He wondered, what Frodo would actually do, if he really paid him a visit. After all Frodo was tiny and weak compared to himself. But then, did he really want to upset him only the more? Gandalf had absolutely no idea what to do. And so he decided to do nothing for now.  
  
***  
  
Frodo sat on a bench in front of his hole, smoking his pipe and watching the sun disappear behind the horizon. It was a warm summer night. Birds were singing in the few nearby trees and the small creek, that was coming out of the forest, ran peacefully in its bed. And even though his surrounding should have made him feel better, he felt terribly depressed. Many sad thoughts lay like a shadow over his soul and even his pipe wouldn't taste the way it should. He hated to admit it, even if no one knew it, but he missed Níniel a lot. She had been the first person in quite a while, that had given him the feeling, that he was not alone, that there actually was someone who cared for him and liked him for what he was. During his last months in Hobbiton, even Sam hadn't given him this feeling anymore. But Frodo did understand that. After all, Sam had been freshly married to a beautiful young woman and just become the father of a wonderful child. There certainly were other things, that he had in mind, than to spend all his time with Frodo.  
  
As it had turned completely dark, Frodo got up from his bench and went inside. Ever since Níniel had left him, the hole seemed so empty and dark to him. The warmth that came with her presence was gone. He was alone and every time he was in his hole, he felt that great emptiness and despair within himself. Sometimes at nights he would lay awake in his bed and remember the precious moments that he had shared with Níniel and even considered to go to her and ask her for forgiveness. But he was sure, that she would never accept any apologies from him. He knew, that he had hurt her too badly, too deeply and if he was honest with himself, it was clear to him, that he had no idea, why he had actually thrown her out of his life.  
  
A couple of weeks passed and until the middle of September Frodo hadn't made his mind up to go and visit Níniel. He still kept on going into his hole, when he saw her coming along the road that passed his home. But from the inside he secretly watched her as she walked by. He began to miss her more and more and actually he had no clue, what was holding him back from going to her, whether it was pride or shyness.  
  
Besides all of this, Frodo got more and more depressed. He didn't know anymore, how to pronounce the word 'happiness', while the word 'death' had lost its terrible meaning. His birthday approached. A perfect date for the plan, that had just begun to form in his mind. 


	9. Guardian Angel

Guardian Angel  
  
The 22nd of September came quickly. The weather had become cooler again and many of Níniel's patients suffered from a cold. They kept her quite busy and she was grateful for that, since it kept her mind away from thinking about Frodo, what she usually did most of her days. She knew that it was Frodo's birthday on the 22nd and so she decided to finally pay him a visit. At least she could try to. So she got up really early that day, and visited all of her patients in the morning. Around noon she was done with her work and so she could go and see Frodo.  
  
It didn't really surprise her, when she didn't see Frodo out in his garden as she approached his hole. It was quite cool and she had to wrap her cape tightly around her body to protect herself from the cold. To her enormous surprise, she found the front door open. Quietly she sneaked through it.  
  
"Frodo?" she called his name as soon as she was standing in the entrance hall. There was no answer. "Frodo?" Níniel called his name again, this time a little louder, but again she didn't get an answer. "Where are you?" She walked into the living room, then into the kitchen, his private room, but couldn't find Frodo anywhere. It seemed impossible to her, that he was not at home, since he hardly ever left his hole. Even though, she knew that she could get herself into serious troubles, she finally came to the bed room door. Unlike the other doors, this one was closed. Hesitatingly she proceeded to open the door and gasped out in relief, when it finally allowed her to see, what was going on in the room. Frodo was laying in his bed, apparently asleep with his red book laying on top of him. Níniel quietly went over to his bed. Only then she recognized how extraordinarily pale he was. She almost fell when she stepped closer. There was something wet on the floor and she kneeled down to see what it was. With a certain discomfort she touched the liquid and brought her hand back up to see what this strangely warm liquid was. Her eyes opened wide in horror, when she saw that it was of a deep red. Níniel's eyes wandered up to Frodo again and only then she realized, that blood was coming out from under the blankets. She jumped up and threw the blankets aside. Frodo was laying in a pool of blood that was constantly fed to grow larger by a large wound on his wrist. Níniel immediately knew, what she had to do. She tore a strip of cloth from her skirt bound it tightly around Frodo's upper arm.  
  
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" she asked his unconscious form on the bed, as she searched her bag for some herbs, that would stop the blood from running from Frodo's veins. Eventually she found, what she'd been looking for and pressed the leaves tightly onto the wound. With her other hand she searched for his pulse and was happy to find out, that his heart was still beating quite strong.  
  
"I could hate you for this," she gasped and then broke out into tears.  
  
Frodo woke up very late the same night. He was quite surprised when he saw, that someone had put a dressing around his wrist and by the fact, that he was still alive. It gave him some serious trouble to get out of bed and to stand up, but he managed and went into his kitchen. To his surprise he found Níniel sitting at the table.  
  
"What . what are you doing here?" he gasped.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Nothing?" Frodo repeated and sat down himself.  
  
"Why have you done this?" she asked him silently without facing him.  
  
"I don't know," he admitted and looked out of the window.  
  
"I'm not going to ask any more questions."  
  
"Good. Why have you come here?"  
  
"I've told you, that I don't know. Something has told me to come here. For some good reason, as I saw," Níniel was only whispering. "Besides, I did miss you."  
  
"Miss me? After all that I've done?" Frodo asked.  
  
"Yes, after all that you've done. I don't know whether this is true, but I was quite sure, that you've never meant anything, of what you've said." "You're right, I regretted sending you away the very moment, that I've done it." There was a pause and then he continued. "I missed you too. I can't tell you how happy I am, that you're here." Níniel looked up and watched him with her huge deep blue eyes.  
  
"It's hard to believe that."  
  
"I'm so sorry," Frodo said and took her hand.  
  
"Will you promise me something?" Níniel asked him silently.  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Never try to kill yourself again. And never doubt my feelings for you, since they're honest and true," Níniel pleaded. Tears had welled up in her eyes, while she had been speaking and were now running down her cheeks freely.  
  
"I promise. Now, will you promise me something?" Frodo asked. Níniel nodded.  
  
"Never leave me again. I know I'm sometimes hard to deal with, but I promise to change for the better."  
  
"Okay. I shall believe you," Níniel smiled at him through the curtain of her tears.  
  
"I need you, more than anybody else. You've shown me, that life is actually worth living." Now Frodo got up from his seat, walked around the table and sat down again next to Níniel.  
  
"I love you," he whispered. Slowly their heads came closer to one another and closer until their lips met and locked. Their first kiss was shy and yet full of love. They didn't separated for quite a while and then, when they had finally had managed to unlock their lips, they sat together, tightly embraced in each other's arms.  
  
Frodo and Níniel spent most of the night in the kitchen, keeping their silence. Both of them were too happy to have the other one back, that they didn't dare to disturb the moment. When Frodo eventually fell asleep, Níniel didn't bother forcing him into his bedroom. Instead she silently sneaked out of the hobbit home and made her way to the castle of Nessea.  
  
The whole castle was deeply asleep, when Níniel got there. As quiet as she could, she went to Nessea's private rooms. She hadn't been in the castle for the longest time, but found her way immediately. In the darkness of her bedroom, she saw Nessea asleep in her bed. Silently she approached the bed of the Elf.  
  
"Naneth?" she whispered. The woman didn't wake up. "Naneth?" Níniel now dared to say louder and finally her mother woke up.  
  
"Níniel!" she said with her soft voice and smiled at the hobbit. "What a pleasant surprise. I'm just afraid that you don't have good news for me."  
  
"Indeed I am afraid, that you won't like what I'm going to tell you, Naneth."  
  
"Go ahead, anyway."  
  
"I assume that Gandalf has told you, that I want Frodo to return to the Shire."  
  
"Yes, indeed."  
  
"What's your answer?" Níniel said, her eyes pleading with the wise elf, even though she knew, that the decision had already been made.  
  
"You are responsible for him. So you should know better than anybody else, what is best for him. This has never been my decision."  
  
"So he's allowed to go?"  
  
"Yes." Nessea smiled at her. Níniel's face reflected the relief that she felt upon that answer. "But I guess this is not the reason why you actually came here."  
  
"No," Níniel admitted and the expression of her face turned from relief into sadness.  
  
"Whatever it is, you know that you can tell me," Nessea encouraged her to go on.  
  
"Naneth, I will go with him," she said quietly and not sure at all, what she had to expect for an answer.  
  
"I know," Nessea smiled and softly caressed her daughter's hair. "Don't worry. I always knew, that you would leave the isle one day." Níniel now looked up and Nessea saw, that tears were running freely down the smaller woman's face. "Don't cry, my child for this has been your destiny. Live your life the way you want to and don't be afraid of your own decisions. This is your reward for what you've done for the benefit of others."  
  
"Will I ever see you again?" Níniel asked her through her tears.  
  
"I don't know, for my eyes are unable to see the future. But if this helps you, I can tell you, that this was the right decision." Nessea kissed Níniel on her forehead. "And now go. Dawn is breaking and the sun is rising quickly. Send me word when you want to leave Tol Sîdh and I'll make sure, that a ship will take the two of you to the Shire."  
  
"Thank you, Naneth. I love you."  
  
"And I love you. Farewell." Níniel got up, kissed her mother on the cheek and then left the castle, that had been her home for thirty-three years forever.  
  
Before she returned to Frodo's hole, she went to her own to get a couple of things, that she would need. Níniel found it hard to say good bye to her home, but on the other hand she knew, that the future would be brighter, than the past had ever been. She only packed a few things - a couple of clothes, books, parchment rolls, and a pouch with herbs that could be of use - and then she quickly left the hole, in which she had lived for more than twenty years. 


	10. The Shire

The Shire  
  
Ever since Frodo Baggins had left the Shire, life in Hobbiton went pretty ordinary ways. Except for the usual little neighborhood fights and a couple of little arguments whether the 1341 or the 1364 beer was the better one, peace had returned to the "green fields" as some of the younger hobbits now called this particularly beautiful part of Middle Earth. Each of spring's, summer's, autumn's, and even winter's months were especially delightful and more often more hobbits could be seen sitting on benches outside of their comfortable homes, enjoying their pipes and some cool beer. Actually most of them were living life to its fullest ever since the dark intruders, that had overtaken the Shire during the Ring War, had been defeated. Another side-effect of the Ring war was the hobbits now more encouraged fear of Men. After all it had been the human kind, that had tried to enslave them all and taken away every joy in life from them. Hobbits in general were peaceful folks as long as no one tried to claim their freedom. It was in their nature to fight for their rights, even though they weren't particularly on the lookout for great adventures. As a proven matter of fact, there was nothing they hated more than adventures. But no rule without exceptions and in this particular case, these were named Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. It was Bilbo who they blamed for bringing that awkward wizard Gandalf into the Shire and with him adventures had come. And eventually it had been Frodo, what had fought in the Ring War for them. Against all that one might expect, most of the hobbits disliked him more than Gandalf. "He, that Baggins thing of a hobbit, cared more for the rest of the world, than for his own kin. Meaning, that this son of a Took hasn't done a thing to free the Shire," is what they used to say about him. Of course there was more lie and ignorance to it than truth. It was certainly wrong, that Frodo was the son of a Took. Actually his uncle Bilbo's mother had been a Took, but that was the only truth to it. It also was a lie, that Frodo cared more for the rest of the world than his kin, being the reason, why he hadn't helped freeing the Shire. But let's take it all one at a time. First of all, Frodo never cared more for another people than the hobbits. Of course he had done his part to set the Shire free, but more in the background. There was quite a simple reason to it. Well, maybe not that simple. Frodo had been tired of all the fighting and senseless murdering. During his stay in Aragorn's camp, (only partially) recovering from both his inner and outer wounds, Frodo had realized, that it made no more sense to him to draw a sword and fight, because life was neither any longer worth fighting for it nor living. It was that simple and at the same time terrible. After the One Ring had been destroyed in the eternal depths of the fires of the Orodruin (Mount Doom), Frodo had given up on himself. He had played his part and as far as he was concerned, quite pitifully indeed. After all it had been Gollum's terrible faith, that had saved them all.  
  
After the Shire had been set free, Frodo only tried to live a peaceful life again, to finish Bilbo's memoirs with his very own and to get his mind away from everything that concerned the One Ring. But it never worked out for him and he never learned to live with the guilt, that he thought, he owned. And that's why he actually welcomed his seizures as a punishment, that made him forget about everything, even if only for a little while. The day that he got note from Gandalf that they would leave the Shire for Tol Sîdh was both a relief and a reason to mourn. It meant that he would have to leave his beloved ones, especially Sam and his other hobbit fellows as well as the Shire forever, a thought, that he greatly disliked. On the other hand, he could no longer stand the pity in Sam's, Rosie's, Merry's and Pippin's eyes and the hatred and fear in the eyes of each other hobbit, that he occasionally met, every time he walked out of the front door of his hole. That was another reason why he'd been so glad, when there had been no longer need for him as deputy mayor of Hobbiton. This way, he was no longer forced to leave his hole for unpleasant tasks with bunches of hobbits surrounding him, staring at him as if he was wearing a multicolored coat.  
  
Nonetheless there were still people in Hobbiton, who really missed Frodo and gave their best to give him the credits, that he deserved. Whenever they heard one speaking bad about Frodo, they would walk up to them and then tell them, what this man had actually done for them. Most of them would listen for a while, pretending to be impressed, but usually they forgot about such efforts quite quickly. The only thing that actually disturbed them was the fact, that the mayor of Hobbiton was one of Frodo's biggest supporters. Of course, he had been with him on their journey, but only as his servant, so that's why they actually never blamed him for what had happened. Samwise Gamgee was the name of their mayor.  
  
Of course for us he goes by the abbreviation of his name. Sam. Well, after he had watched Frodo leaving at the Gray Havens, Sam had returned home, with the worst of feelings, he had ever had. Even though his wife Rosie tried to cheer him up, he still felt depressed, because he had once promised, to never leave Frodo alone. But that was exactly what he had done. And even the fact that he had kept his promise to Frodo to name his first male child after him, didn't make him feel any better. Little Frodo was a joy for the family and for some odd reason, he had the very same steel blue eyes as the real Frodo.  
  
Three years can be a darn long time, especially when you're missing somebody as dearly as Sam missed his former master. The year after Frodo had left the Shire, Sam and Rosie got their second child, a son this time and they both decided to call him after Sam's dearest friend in life - Frodo. This actually was to the great dislike of most habitants of Hobbiton, since they expected their mayor to hate this Baggins as much as they did. Even though they knew, that he never would. But they accepted it for he was a hero of the Ring War for them, even though not for his achievements in the land of Mordor, but for his heroic acting during the war for the freedom of the Shire. For Sam himself these three years were a really odd time, but he had to face the fact, that he probably would never see Frodo again.  
  
One year later it happened, that Sam, Pippin and Merry, who had come by for a brief visit, sat in the village pub over some of the finest brew in the whole Shire. They hadn't met for quite a while and they had a whole lot to talk about. To the two younger hobbits, Sam appeared quite strange. He had lost a huge amount of his childish self, and was now a truly grown up hobbit with an earnest and old face. Even though they of course missed Frodo as well, their grief was not as huge as Sam's. He wouldn't laugh anymore about the jokes he used to laugh about in his younger years and was more serious than suited him in their opinion. Their conversation in the pub had faded quickly and they were now drinking their beer in silence. It didn't even catch their attention, when two hooded strangers entered the pub and sat down at a table close to theirs. Only Merry recognized them and one of them, obviously a male hobbit, seemed awfully familiar. The two strangers ordered a beer and a bowl of soup for each of them and didn't talk that much. The only thing, that could be recognized was, that they sat quite close to one another, both of them obviously careful not to let the other one get too far away. Merry himself had always been a curious hobbit and that hadn't changed throughout the years. Eventually he decided to walk up to the strangers and introduce himself to them, but only to find out where they came from, what they were up to and which ways had led them to Hobbiton. Pippin and Sam didn't even realize, that Merry had left their table, until they heard a yell of surprise from behind. Not sure, what this meant, they turned around alarmed, afraid that there were some new intruders who wanted to gain control over the Shire. But they only saw Merry slapping his mouth shut with his hand after one of the hooded hobbits had hissed something towards him. Now Pippin was curious himself and went to see, whom Merry was talking to. Sam still showed no interest in what was happening around him and stayed at their table. But then he was forced to look up from his jar, when somebody shook him frantically by his shoulder. It was Pippin.  
  
"What is it?" Sam asked angrily. He wasn't up to one of Pippin's stupid jokes.  
  
"I think you should come over and see who's there," Pippin said, his face a reflection of confusion, shock and surprise. Sam still thought that this was just a joke.  
  
"Leave me alone," he growled and pushed Pippin's hand away.  
  
"No, please Sam. Come and see," Pippin pleaded with him.  
  
"OKAY!" Sam yelled, but immediately started whispering again, when he saw that everybody else in the pub was staring at him. "Okay," he went on in a silent voice. "I'm coming." Slowly and not really wanting to, he got up from his seat and joined Pippin on his way back to the table, where the two strangers were sitting. Sam couldn't see anything but two hooded strangers, that Merry was actually staring at. He seemed to be paralyzed by the sight. Slightly curious himself now, Sam sat down next to him, so that he could see the faces hidden under the hoods of the strangers' capes. His eyes opened wide in shock and surprise when he saw, who was sitting opposite of him.  
  
"Frodo," he whispered and felt like paralyzed himself now. "You're back," he managed to continue and then his voice faded. The male hobbit didn't answer, just smiled at poor Sam.  
  
"Don't say it out loud. I don't want anybody to know, that I'm back. Not yet," Frodo whispered and gave his friend a smile. "I want to go back to Bag End. I shall explain everything then," he added and Sam nodded. They left some coins back on the table and then left the pub. Neither Sam, nor Merry, nor Pippin had yet seen the face of the second hobbit, but they didn't really care for their Frodo - the true hero of the Ring War - was back. 


	11. Bag End

Bag End  
  
Twenty minutes later the whole bunch of them arrived in Bag End. Rosie was quite surprised when she saw that her husband brought guests but didn't ask him for explanation. And she didn't have to anyway. As soon as the five of them were in the hole, Sam took her aside and told her, who had returned.  
  
"But this is fantastic!" she said joining in the delight of her husband.  
  
"Don't tell anyone. I don't know why, but Frodo doesn't want anybody to know that he's back."  
  
"Don't worry, you know that you can trust me. Want me to make you guys some tea? I bet he's exhausted after such a long journey from . well wherever he came from."  
  
"Yes, that would be very nice. Just still I have to figure something out. Frodo has brought someone with him and I don't know who it is."  
  
"I see. I shall wait in the kitchen then. Just come and tell me when it's time to serve the tea." "Rosie, you're the best wife a hobbit can ask for. I love you," he said and kissed her.  
  
Meanwhile Frodo and the others had went to Frodo's former private room and had made themselves comfortable there. Now the stranger had also taken down her hood and for the first time Sam could see her face. Frodo was in company of a beautiful hobbit woman, apparently of his age and Sam sort of knew, that the two of them belonged to one another. He sat down and stared at his former master, still finding it hard to believe, that he actually was back.  
  
"Well, my dear friends. It's been a long time. Let me first introduce you to my future wife Níniel," Frodo smiled at all of them and now he had again managed to surprise them.  
  
"Wait a minute," Merry gasped. "Do you want to tell me, that you actually met this diamond of a hobbit at wherever you were? Tell me how to get there!"  
  
"I don't think, this is the right place for you, mind me, Merry," Frodo laughed. "Besides there aren't exactly many hobbits around there."  
  
"Which means?" Pippin asked.  
  
"Well, she was the only one."  
  
"Oh," Merry sounded disappointed. "So, you've found the love of your life. Never knew, that you were that charming."  
  
"Well, I'm not. It just sort of happened," Frodo answered uneasily. He actually didn't want to reveal anything of what had happened on Tol Sîdh to Merry and Pippin before he was given a chance to tell Sam. Of course he also loved Merry and Pippin, but still Sam was the closest to his heart and he had a feeling that it would be the right thing to do to tell Sam first. So he had no choice but to bring up an excuse.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry, but I'm actually really tired. If you don't mind, I'd like to lay down for a while," he said, pretending to be sorry.  
  
"That's perfectly understandable," Sam nodded. "You can sleep in your old bedroom. We've left it the way you've left it. We've changed nothing," Sam smiled at Frodo. Then he suddenly remembered, that his friend was not alone. "I'm sure you want to rest too, Miss Níniel. I'll tell Rosie to get a room ready for you."  
  
"That's not necessary, Mister Gamgee. I'm not tired. This might sound weird because we've just arrived from a long journey, but actually I'd like to go out for a walk - if you don't mind me" she added looking at Frodo.  
  
"Not at all," Sam said. "But please call me Sam. I'm more used to it."  
  
"Then you may call me just Níniel. That's what I'm used to," she smiled. She and Frodo got up from their seats and bid their goodbyes to Pippin and Merry. The two of them couldn't stay in Hobbiton any longer, since they had to return home for business tasks. But they promised to come back soon.  
  
Frodo actually went to his old bedroom, joined by Níniel. She still planned on going for a walk, but wanted to make sure, that Frodo would be alright. Once they were in his room, they both sat down on his neatly made bed. Even the blankets were still the same.  
  
"Are you okay?" Níniel asked Frodo, whose face showed such a huge amount of different emotional expressions, that she was afraid that all of it could become too much for him. "Yes, I think so. It's just that I first have to get used to the thought of finally being home again."  
  
"I see. Shall I stay with you?"  
  
"No, you can go for your walk. I think I need some time for myself now anyway."  
  
"Okay. I love you."  
  
"I love you too," Frodo said and they kissed. Níniel got up from the bed and sneaked out of the room. This was the first time, that she actually left Frodo without being concerned about him. He seemed to be happy to be back home, but all the happiness and joy about that fact, was a little overwhelming and so Níniel figured that it was a good idea indeed for him to spend some time alone. That gave him the chance to realize and understand all of it.  
  
As quietly as she had left Frodo's room, Níniel now sneaked out of Bag End. She now wore her cape again with the hood deeply drawn into her face. The idea of some stranger who could see her was to her great dislike. Níniel made sure to quickly get out of Hobbiton and went straight into a nearby forest. The trees surrounding her, reminded her of her home far away, the home that she had given up for the sake of her only true love. Although no doubts pained her, that leaving Tol Sîdh had been the right thing to do, she still had to get used to her new surroundings. Even though the Elves on Tol Sîdh had tried to create a perfect resemblance of the Shire on the isle, now everything was so different from anything that she had seen before. Certainly the many hobbits, that she had seen on their way to Hobbiton made that slight and yet overwhelming difference. Níniel spent most of the afternoon beneath the shadows of the trees and only proceeded to return to Bag End when the sun was already setting.  
  
She found the main door to the hole open and sneaked in. Quietly she made her way towards Frodo's bedroom and found him still fast asleep. He looked exhausted but yet at perfect peace, so she decided that the time had finally come for her to introduce herself to Samwise and his wife. She found them both sitting in the kitchen over their dinner, with Eleanor their oldest sitting next to her beloved father and little Frodo in the arms of his mother. Níniel silently stood in the door for a while, watching the family having their meal. She was glad that they hadn't tried to wake Frodo up, because she was still a little concerned about the physical strengths of him even though it had been more than a year since Frodo had tried to commit suicide. Eventually young Eleanor discovered, that she was no longer alone with her parents and brother and immediately informed the rest of her family.  
  
"Hey, there's some stranger in the door, daddy. Make her go," she squeaked. Sam looked up from his plate and so did the others. When he saw, that it actually was Níniel standing in the door, he invited her over.  
  
"Hello Níniel. Come over and take a seat. We've got plenty of food here," he smiled at her and gestured her to sit down on an empty place next to himself. Níniel smiled and nodded and then went to sit down and join them with their meal. When it came to meeting new people, Níniel had always been more of an extremely shy hobbit and it had taken a lot of courage and bravery from her, when she had first met Frodo, to appear as a nice, open and friendly person. Now she only accepted the offer and sat down in silence, for she didn't know what to say. Fortunately little Eleanor claimed word again.  
  
"Daddy, who is this woman? I've never seen her before," she demanded tugging at her father's sleeve.  
  
"She is a friend of Frodo's," Sam smiled down at his daughter. "Remember? I've told you that we are having two guests." Eleanor seemed to consider that for a while and then all of a sudden she turned to face Níniel.  
  
"Are you kissing Mister Frodo?" she asked and watched the strange woman curiously.  
  
"Elly!" now Rosie gasped, shocked about what her daughter had just asked.  
  
"That's alright, Misses Gamgee," Níniel said and smiled back down at Eleanor. "Sometimes I happen to do so."  
  
"So you're his wife then, aren't you," Eleanor went on, now eyeing Níniel with two big brown eyes, that demanded an answer.  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
"But why are you kissing him then? My daddy is only kissing my mommy and she's his wife."  
  
"Elly, enough is enough," Rosie said with a sharp tone. "What do you want to drink, Miss." Rosie stopped and watched her.  
  
"Níniel will be fine," the other female hobbit said and smiled at Sam's wife. "I think I wouldn't mind some tea. It's quite cold out there and I'm frozen to my bones."  
  
"Elly, go and fetch our guest a cup," Rosie told her daughter and Eleanor got up, mumbling something like 'always me', while her mother proceeded to fill Níniel's plate with meat and vegetables.  
  
"So, how do you like the Shire?" Sam asked her, munching on his own food.  
  
"It's nice here. And many hobbits around."  
  
"How comes you've never been here before? As far as I know, there aren't any hobbits anywhere else in Middle Earth."  
  
"Indeed, there are no hobbits elsewhere in Middle Earth. But my parents were killed the day of my birth and a kind old wizard took me to the Elves who brought me up. I've basically spent all my life on an isle way from the Shire."  
  
"Is that the isle where Frodo, Bilbo and the others went?"  
  
"Yes, I met him there."  
  
"How did life treat them?" Sam tried to make her tell him more.  
  
"Well, good Master Bilbo died a few years ago and Frodo lived a life of peace there," Níniel answered shortly, not willing to give out more. She thought, that it would be better, if Frodo told Sam everything. After all she didn't know him half that well.  
  
"Bilbo was old," Sam muttered, but couldn't stop a tear escaping from his eyes. They finished their meal in silence and even curious little Eleanor didn't say one more word. Just the very moment that Rosie had put the very last plate in the sink, Frodo stumbled sleepily into the kitchen. He looked refreshed though and started to smile when he saw Níniel.  
  
"Hey, you're back," he said hoarsely and yawned.  
  
"Yes, I am. Seems you've got used to your old home again very quickly," Níniel smiled as Frodo proceeded to sit down next to her.  
  
"Yes, indeed," he admitted.  
  
"There's still some meat and vegetable left. Are you hungry?" Rosie asked. Frodo turned around and smiled at her.  
  
"No, thanks." Meanwhile little Eleanor had crawled onto the bench opposite side of Frodo and Níniel and was now watching the two of them. Frodo recognized her doing so and gave her a puzzled look.  
  
"What is it?" he asked the small girl.  
  
"Um, nothing. I was just watching you," she said and kept on staring at him. Frodo was confused but thought it was funny anyway.  
  
"Eleanor, what is it?" he asked her again, his voice more demanding this time.  
  
"It's nothing, I've told you. I was just curious what the hero of my daddy's tales looks like." "These weren't tales, Elly. All of what I've told you about Master Frodo, has really happened," Sam told his daughter.  
  
"Don't believe you. Old Hamgee from down the street told me, that nothing of this has ever happened," Eleanor insisted, but yet kept on staring at Frodo.  
  
"Well, then he's a liar, Elly," Sam said, anger flicking up in his voice.  
  
"And you want to know whether it's true, don't you," Frodo grinned.  
  
"Yes," Eleanor said sheepishly.  
  
"Well, what am I to do to prove it?"  
  
"Show me your hands."  
  
"ELLY!" Sam yelled and ran towards Eleanor to stop her from asking any further questions. "I think it's time for you to hit your pillows."  
  
"Sam, it's okay. She's just a curious little hobbit. I like that." Frodo brought up his hands from under the table and laid them on the surface. He knew exactly what Eleanor was referring to.  
  
"So it's true," she said staring at the gap between Frodo's index and ring finger, where his middle finger was missing.  
  
"Yes. Now, do you still believe old Hamgee?"  
  
"No," Eleanor said and blushed. Frodo smiled at her.  
  
"I've known your father for a very long time, my dear, and believe me, he's never been a liar."  
  
"Little Lady, I think your father's right. It's time for you to go to bed," Rosie interrupted them and took her daughter by her hand. "Say good night."  
  
"Good night daddy and Master Frodo and Miss Níniel. Oh, and we will talk about that kissing thing tomorrow."  
  
"Elly! I've told you that this is none of your business," Rosie scolded her and drew her out of the kitchen.  
  
"Kissing thing?" Frodo asked and gazed curiously at Níniel. But she only shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Kids, you know." 


	12. Home again

Home again  
  
While Rosie was busy taking the children to bed, Níniel bid a good night to both Frodo and Sam. She actually wasn't tired, but knew that the two hobbits had a lot to talk about in privacy. Sam offered her one of the guest rooms, but after she and Frodo had exchanged some looks, she told him, that she would sleep in Frodo's room, for his bed was big enough for both of them. Before Níniel left, Frodo kissed her good night and then they were alone in the living room (Rosie didn't come back as well). Frodo let himself drop into one of the familiar armchairs in front of the fireplace, while Sam went to get something. He joined his old friend with two pipes, that the other one happily accepted. The two of them just sat there for while, neither of them saying a word. Of course Sam had countless questions to ask and there was so much that Frodo wanted to tell him, but neither of them knew where to start. After a while Sam got up from his seat again and headed for the kitchen, only to return with two jars a couple of moments later. One of them he handed to Frodo.  
  
"Best beer in ages. I think you've had enough of tea for one day," he grinned, sitting down again. Frodo gave it a try and then nodded.  
  
"Yes, that tastes great. Nothing like that stuff on the isle."  
  
"How's it been?" Sam asked, no longer able to hide his curiosity.  
  
"It's been a long trip, but I guess it was worth it."  
  
"It's been four years," Sam said thoughtfully staring into the fire. "I guess many things have happened, while you were there. You met Níniel."  
  
"What do you think of her?"  
  
"I don't know her. She's good with children. Didn't even mind Elly's childish questions. But besides this, I don't know. But I figure she must be a great person, since you've fallen in love with her," Sam muttered.  
  
"I owe her my life," Frodo said, staring into the fire now himself. "She's saved me twice. First when the One Ring tried to claim control over me again and then again when I had lost control over myself."  
  
"What do you mean? The ring's been destroyed."  
  
"But not its influence on me. Remember me being sick every now and then before I left?" Sam nodded. "After Bilbo had died, I became seriously sick again. The old wounds broke up again and I fell into a deep unconsciousness that lasted for many weeks. It was Níniel who took care of me and who has brought back life into my veins."  
  
"This is incredible indeed, but hobbits have never been much of healers. How could she do it?"  
  
"Oh, Sam, she's so special in so many ways. She's been brought up by Elves and they taught her everything they know about the healing arts. Her last name is Cuilanathûr which means as much as healer of the soul. Now I know why."  
  
"Well, why?"  
  
"I recovered finally from my physical wounds, but the emotional pain was still there. It made me go crazy, I totally freaked out. I even threw Níniel and Gandalf out and refused to see anybody for a very long time. The strange thing about it was, that I actually missed them all, but yet I couldn't allow anybody to come near me. My depressions became stronger and stronger until I one day decided to lay down and to never get up again."  
  
"What did you do?" Sam asked, shocked by the story, Frodo was telling him. Originally he had thought that Frodo must have had the time of his life there - wherever he had been.  
  
"I cut my veins open and then waited for a sweet darkness to wash over me. It eventually came, but I woke up again. Níniel had found me and saved me once again."  
  
"So I guess she's taken over my job," Sam sighed, his eyes busy to find something interesting in the sparkling fire.  
  
"Don't be jealous. I love you, you know that. If it wouldn't have been for you, I don't know what would have happened back there in Mordor." He paused because he had to consider very carefully how to put it into words what he was about to say. "She's my soul mate, Sam and I love her and I want to marry her. I'm sure you'll like her too, once you get to know her better."  
  
"I'm not jealous," Sam whispered. "I just want to make sure, that you get into the right hands. But since she's saved you twice, I suppose she's the perfect match for you."  
  
"I was hoping you would say that." There was silence for a while, but some other question kept Sam's mind busy.  
  
"You know, I was wondering why you don't want anybody to know, that you're back."  
  
"Oh Sam, come on, you know how they are. Folks here hate me for some odd reason, I don't quite understand. I'm not stupid, I mean I do remember the way, they were looking at me before I left quite well. As a matter of fact, I don't think that Níniel and I will stay in Hobbiton."  
  
"Why not? You're back home and Bag End still belongs to you."  
  
"I've given it to you and Rosie. It's not mine anymore."  
  
"That was under the prospect that you would never return. Well, you have and I don't want to keep it, now that you're back. Besides I think you should go out there and tell these damned hobbits, what you've truly done for them and claim the credits, you deserve. I mean you were willing to give your life for them and you almost had to more than once."  
  
"I can't do this, Sam," Frodo said, shaking his head. "I hated it when I was deputy mayor and I was happy as long as I don't have to go out and face the crowds."  
  
"I can accept that, but I cannot accept that everybody hates the true hero, while his little helpers have become Mayor of Hobbiton, Master of Buckland, or Thain of the Shire."  
  
"Well, do whatever you think you have to do. I sure won't do anything. I'm tired of fighting for my rights and want to enjoy my life with Níniel. Look, I think we'll leave for Bree and then we'll see where we go from there."  
  
"I wish you'd stay here," Sam sadly said and now looked up for the first time to face Frodo. "I wish I could. I just don't want Níniel to experience the cruelty some of our kin certainly own. She's not deserved being treated like a nerd. And people certainly think that I am one." They paused and kept on smoking their pipes. After a while Frodo's was out and he got up from his chair. "I shall go to bed now," he said and smiled at his old friend. "Don't worry. We won't leave too soon." Sam also got up from his seat and now the two friends were standing face to face.  
  
"I really like Níniel. She's a very nice person."  
  
"That's good to know," Frodo said and they hugged. "Good night then."  
  
"Yeah, good night," Sam replied. They exchanged one more look and then Frodo left for his bedroom.  
  
By the time he got there, Níniel was still awake, reading in a red book that looked awfully familiar to Frodo.  
  
"Hey, where did you find this?" he asked her softly, closing the door behind him. "That's Bilbo's and my old diary." Níniel looked up and smiled at Frodo.  
  
"Rosie brought me this. She said that you wouldn't mind me reading it. Well, do you?"  
  
"Certainly don't. That's why it has been written." He sat down next to her on the bed and kissed her firmly on her cheek. "You know, I like it to be here with you. It's just a pity that we cannot stay here."  
  
"Actually what makes you so sure, that people still think of you the same way they did four years ago?" Níniel asked and watched him curiously.  
  
"I think it's just the way that hobbits are. They never really forget it, when you've done something extraordinary," Frodo sighed.  
  
"Well," Níniel said laying her head down on his shoulder. "Then I should really hate you, shouldn't I."  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"Okay. I promise that from now on, I will hate you like I'd hate my worst enemy," she teased, her voice telling, that she wasn't serious at all. Frodo turned, grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her back into the pillows.  
  
"So, am I supposed to share my bed with someone, that really hates me?" he grinned down on her.  
  
"Yes, I think that's what it looks like right now," she giggled, lifted her head and kissed him fully on his lips.  
  
"Well, I think I can handle that," he laughed and kissed her back.  
  
Sam got up really early the next morning, something that he usually never did. But that day he had some major task to fulfill and it allowed no further delay. Business led him into Hobbiton's city hall, a place that he usually tried to avoid, since it meant work. But on this particular day in autumn he had no choice. Sam had brought Rosie with him and had sent word to Meriadoc, Master of Buckland and Peregrin, Thain of the Shire. Both of them should arrive the next day, 1st of Winterfilth (September, 22nd on a modern calendar).  
  
Rosie and Sam spent the day in his office, behind locked doors and Sam wouldn't allow anybody to come in. He had left a note in Bag End for Frodo and Níniel, telling them that he and Rosie were on business in town and would only return the next day. They had left little Frodo and Elly with some friends of them.  
  
Frodo was the first to discover the note from Sam, that was laying on the kitchen table. Níniel stood next to him, watching him as he read.  
  
"We've got Bag End for us today then, I suppose," Frodo said as he had finished reading. "They must really be on some important business, considering that they won't return home before tomorrow."  
  
"I wonder what they're up to," Níniel thought aloud.  
  
"So do I. But that's none of our business." They both sat down at the kitchen table and enjoyed the breakfast, that Rosie had prepared for them. Frodo quite quickly forgot about the strange note and said  
  
"How much have you seen of the forest so far? You know, I used to spend my time sitting on branches of a really old tree right in the middle of the forest, when I was in my twens."  
  
"I doubt it's still there. You know that many of the trees and forests here in the Shire were destroyed."  
  
"Yes, I do. But who knows. Probably it's still there. I'd really like to go and find out," Frodo pleaded with her. "Wanna join me?"  
  
"And what about breakfast? I haven't even started mine yet and I'm really hungry."  
  
"We could take some with us," Frodo suggested. "Please, Níniel. I haven't been here for the longest time and I'd really like to go out and see the things of my youth again." Níniel rolled her eyes and sighed out deeply.  
  
"Well then, you old man, let's get going," she grinned. "I certainly wouldn't mind visiting a beloved place from your childhood. Just let me get dressed first. I think, it's a little too cold for going out with nothing on but a night gown on," Níniel muttered and then stepped up to Frodo to give him a brief kiss on his cheek. Then she quickly turned on her heels and left to get dressed. Frodo stood like paralyzed in the kitchen for a while. Even though he and Níniel had been together for more than a year now, he still hadn't got used to her kissing him. Every time part of her body, especially her lips would touch his, it sent shivers down his spine. In these moments he realized, just how much he needed her, how much he adored her, how much he actually loved her. Frodo sank down onto a seat by the table and lingered the moment for a while. After all, that he had been through, he found it a strain to believe, that fortune was finally on his side. And that just felt so good. 


	13. Secrets

Secrets  
  
About an hour later, Frodo and Níniel already strode through the depths of the forest. It was quite a lovely autumn day, the sun was still shining warm down on them through the trees and the birds way up in the top branches of the trees sung a delightful song. Both Frodo and Níniel wandered along in silence, neither of them having an irresistible urge to disturb the peace of the quietness with words.  
  
Níniel still hadn't gotten used to Frodo being actually happy. The first time she had met him, he still had tried to keep the surface of a normal hobbit, without any concerns or sorrows. But then, as she got to know him better, she soon had found out, what was really going on in his mind.  
  
***  
  
But first, let me tell you something, I haven't mentioned so far. There is a rare gift, very few people own, no matter whether they're hobbits, elves, orcs or whatever creature is crawling on the surface of Middle Earth. Actually it is that rare, that even the Elves forgot the name of this gift. Let me try to explain, what it is about with the words of my mother.  
  
"It was the first night after his wounds had broken up again. I never liked using this gift, because I was just not comfortable with it. Using it meant, to intrude a person's most intimate thoughts. But if I wanted to heal him, I just had to know, what the pain in his soul was about. So I laid my hands upon him, one on his forehead, the other above his heart and then it all streamed into me. There was so much pain and grief inside of him, that I had a hard time to keep my touch on him. I saw everything, that he had gone through, from the very start of it all. I could feel the fear, that he had felt, when that Nazgûl approached him on Weather Top and of course the pressure and power of the One Ring itself. But still this was only the start of it all. I relived all the fears and dangers, that he's gone through on his way to Mordor, to the Orodruin. I began to understand and that's how I could endure him ignoring me and all my efforts to help him, while he would."  
  
Hope this explains a bit about that gift. I understand that it must have been a burden for Naneth, and I'm glad I don't own the gift. But on with the story.  
  
It was then, that Níniel took Frodo's arm. It just felt so good to be with him out in the peace of the forest. Frodo instinctively laid his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer to him. They walked like this for a while until Frodo came to a sudden halt. "What's wrong?" Níniel asked. She had totally forgotten, that they were actually looking for something.  
  
"Nothing. Look," he said pointing towards and enormously high tree. "It's still there," he smiled and as Níniel looked up, she could see that the joy of memories of better times had now gained control over the beautiful features of his face.  
  
"Is that the tree?" she asked, taken away by its actual beauty. Frodo nodded. It really was an outstanding tree. High enough to touch the blue of the sky, it stood proud and old on its spot right in the middle of the forest. The leaves were still green, not even a single of them had turned into the usual brown or yellow of the season.  
  
"It is beautiful," Níniel mouthed, as her eyes tried to discover the top of the tree. She failed terribly. "I do certainly understand why you love this place so much. I've never seen a place like it before. Not even on Tol Sîdh."  
  
"I thought, I'd never come back here," Frodo whispered more to himself, than to Níniel. He turned around, so that he stood face to face with Níniel. To her surprise, he grabbed her by her waist, pulled her closer to himself and kissed her deeply. At first Níniel was stunned and sort of shocked, but it felt too good as to pull away from him. Instead, she lifted her arms to embrace him and then kissed him back until they both forgot their surroundings as their passionate kiss lasted. The longer their kiss lasted, the more both of them put into it: Frodo all of his love and passion and his yearning to be with her until the end of their days - Níniel her gratefulness to finally be with a person, similar to her, that she loved more than anything else on this world. Eventually their lips unlocked and without ever taking the eye from one another, they slowly walked to the tree and settled down against its trunk.  
  
"I love you," she whispered as she laid her head down on his shoulder. Frodo gently kissed her on her head and smiled down on her.  
  
"Just promise me, that you'll never leave me alone," he whispered into her ear, as he once again couldn't resist the need to bless her light hair with a kiss. They both sat there for a long time, once again refusing to speak and cherishing the closeness of the moment.  
  
*** Meanwhile back in Hobbiton ***  
  
Sam and Rosie were still busy in the city hall. At around noon they had gathered a couple of close friends to the family around them and explained, what they were up to.  
  
"Okay guys, you know what you've got to do. Just to make sure, that nothing gets mixed up. Eric, what's your task?"  
  
"I'll tell everyone I meet about it and tell them to inform all they meet and know," a young hobbit said.  
  
"Good. Mathilda?"  
  
"I get everything in the tents ready and check on the dishes," an elderly female hobbit answered.  
  
"Okay. What about you, Donny?" And on and on it went, until all of the twenty hobbits in the office, had repeated their tasks again to Sam for the fifth time.  
  
"Seems, as if it's all working," he said to Rosie, when they were alone again.  
  
"Do you really think, that this is a right good idea? What if he gets mad at you?"  
  
"He won't, I'm sure. We've been through a lot together and he owes me one," Sam grinned, but then suddenly his face became serious again. "Of course it could go wrong as well. But I think I know him good enough to know, that he will appreciate it at long last."  
  
"Whatever you say, my dear. I only hope you're right," Rosie muttered.  
  
"Hey, Merry and Pippin will come as well and I think, that people will listen to what the Master of Buckland and the Thain of the Shire say. And I am still their mayor, so everything will work out, don't worry," he told her. Something inside of him told him, that this could either go wrong and destroy everything that he cherished so much, or it could all work out and everything would turn out for the best.  
  
"Still I am not convinced about it at all. Of course I do think it's great, that you want to help Master Frodo, but on the other hand he's told you what he wants. He wants to live a life of peace, together with Níniel. He's been through so much and I don't think that he's up for another fight, even if it is the last."  
  
"Rosie, listen. How is he supposed to live a good life here, if most of the people in the Shire think, that he is the one to blame for all of it? They think that Pippin, Merry, and me are heroes and have totally forgotten about him. I mean, we've done our bit, but it was Frodo who had to carry the ring for over a year and almost gave his life for the others sake. They should just be a little more grateful and not such ignorant fools," Sam argued, convinced about the truth of his words. Rosie sighed out heavily.  
  
"You know, I think you're right. He's saved us all and we've done nothing to reward him. Besides, he has brought you back to me and that's why I'm forever in his debt. And he's such a lovely, nice and charming son of a hobbit, that I could almost get jealous at Níniel."  
  
"Don't try to make me jealous. It won't work," Sam laughed and then continued, taking his Rosie in a tight embrace. "I knew, you'd understand," Sam smiled at his wife, even though he was surprised, that she had given in that quickly. He kissed her before he again let go of her and then they were back to work to prepare the first official Baggins Day.  
  
*** Back in the forest ***  
  
"I wish we could just stay and sit here with you forever," Níniel sighed and snuggled up tighter against Frodo. It was late afternoon and they were still sitting under the tree of his childhood. The hours had just passed them by, but they didn't really care as long as they were together. Níniel leaned comfortably heavy against her love and listened to nothing but the strong beating of his heart (a sound that she worshipped, because there had been times, when it had been hardly audible) and the songs of the birds way up in the trees. This just completed those moments of closeness and peace for her. But then suddenly, there was a growling, almost like thunder to be heard and it came from Frodo's direction. Níniel all of a sudden sat straight and stared at Frodo. And then, suddenly, without any signs of a warning, she started to laugh heartily and fully.  
  
"Hey," she said through her laughing. "Where's that backpack of yours? I suppose the lovely surroundings as well as peace and silence here won't do it for our empty stomachs," she continued, still laughing. Frodo smiled at her, got up and went to another tree, where he had carelessly dropped his backpack.  
  
"So what do we have here," he muttered as he started searching through it. "It's not that much, but better than nothing, I guess." Frodo took the whole thing and went back to sit down next to Níniel again. "Bread, some cheese and sausage, some apples, and there's a piece of raspberry cake."  
  
"That's more than enough for the two of us," Níniel said and helped herself to an apple, while Frodo chose to have some bread and cheese.  
  
"I'm glad, that we've brought all of this with us," he said, munching on a piece of bread. "So am I. It certainly would be a pity to leave just because of our grumbling stomachs," she agreed.  
  
They finished their meal in silence and then decided to go for a little walk. Frodo remembered a small creek nearby and wanted to show it to Níniel. She happily agreed and so they soon wandered through the woods, both tightly holding onto the other one's arm.  
  
"It feels good to share this with you," Frodo said in a moment, when the birds' singing was particularly nice. Níniel forced him to stop, turned and placed a tender kiss on his lips. Frodo got her idea and kissed her back, more passionate, more longing for her. Heat rose up inside both of them and they just refused to break their kiss and with it kill the most intimate moment, that they had yet shared. Finally the sound of branch cracking close to them, separated them. They both stood in state of shock and surprise for a while and as if the other one had all of a sudden become a stranger, they both found suddenly something really interesting on the forest ground to watch. Without them noticing it, they went their way further towards the creek. By the time they reached it, dusk had already set and it was too late for them to return to Bag End.  
  
"I know a small abandoned cave. We could spend the night there, since it's too dark to return home," Frodo suggested.  
  
"Yes, that sounds good to me. I'm really tired anyway," Níniel agreed and followed Frodo high on his heels as he made his way to the cave. He led her over the creek and then through the betweens of some trees until they came to a clearing that was in front of small cave entrance in a huge amount of rocks, that had melted to become one throughout the centuries. Before they actually entered, they gathered some firewood, so that they would have it warm and cozy for the night. Fortunately they had brought their capes with them and Frodo even had his Elvish cape with him, that had somehow remained in his backpack from trips of earlier days and so they didn't have to freeze during the night. When at last the fire was burning, Frodo spread one of the capes over the cold ground for them to sit on it and they snuggled up together under the remaining two capes right in front of the fire. Níniel's head rested softly on Frodo's chest and the sound of his heartbeat combined with the tender rising and falling of his breast as he breathed, gently rocked her into a peaceful sleep. Frodo watched her sleeping and smiled to himself. "I can really consider myself one lucky hobbit," was the last thing he thought, before he drifted off into the land of dreams. 


	14. Surprises

Surprises  
  
Quite early the next morning, Níniel woke up to the sound of the birds singing outside the cave. Frodo was still fast asleep and she decided to let him sleep a little longer. Quietly she got up and went outside. It was quite a cold morning and Níniel shivered as she made her way in no particular direction. Soon she came back to the creek that Frodo had shown her the day before and decided to take a little walk along the creek. The sun did its best to shine warm through the trees and it didn't take Níniel long, to feel more comfortable outside. She stopped and held a toe into the soft water and to her surprise it was quite warm. So she sat down and brought her feet totally under the surface of the water. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in of the fresh air of a wonderful silent morning right in the middle of the forest. How long she sat there like this, she could not tell, but all of a sudden Frodo laid his hands down on her shoulders and kissed her on her cheek from behind.  
  
"Time to go home," he whispered into her ear, as he got up from a kneeling position.  
  
"Yes, sure," she answered and together they went back to the cave and grabbed their few belongings.  
  
***  
  
It was almost noon, when Sam and Rosie finally got home from a long day and an even longer night of work down in Hobbiton. They were tired but there was no thought of sleep for neither of them.  
  
"Where are they?" Rosie could hear Sam yell from the other end of the hobbit hole. He had gone to wake them up just the moment they had returned home and was surprised when he couldn't find Frodo and Níniel.  
  
"I don't know," Rosie yelled back and just the very moment the word "know" had left her throat, the green round entrance door to the hole opened and Frodo and Níniel came in. Rosie raced from the kitchen into the main hall.  
  
"Hey, where have you guys been?"  
  
"In the forest," Frodo said and took his backpack down. "Good morning, Rosie."  
  
"Yeah, you too," she said slightly confused. Sam ran up to them and jumped at Frodo.  
  
"Happy Birthday, my old friend!" he yelled excitedly and hugged his friend tightly. Níniel and Rosie looked at each other and then again at the two friends and both burst out into laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?!" Sam complained as he let go of Frodo. But the two women just shook their heads and only laughed the more.  
  
"Thanks, Sam. Mind me, there's somebody else," Frodo grinned and grabbed Níniel's hand. He drew her closer to himself and laid his arms around her tender waist.  
  
"Happy Birthday," he whispered towards her and kissed her gently.  
  
"You too," Níniel managed to reply before their lips locked. Now they had managed to get both Rosie and Sam by surprise.  
  
"It's your birthday too???" they both cried out in unison. "Oh no."  
  
"What's so wrong with that?" Frodo asked, forcing himself to let go of Níniel.  
  
"Um, nothing," Sam quickly answered. "Listen, I've got to go back to business. Shall we meet later down in the pub?" he suggested. "Rosie will make you some breakfast."  
  
"Yes, sure. I'd like that," Frodo said and Sam was gone.  
  
***  
  
After they had finished breakfast, Rosie told them that she would go and lay down for a while and Frodo and Níniel decided, that this was a right good idea. Neither of them had slept very well the night before, and although both of them refused to admit it, they backs hurt like hell. Both of them quickly fell into a deep sleep, snuggled up against one another like two frightened children, that didn't want to let go from one another.  
  
They were woken up roughly by Sam, who burst into their room, without knocking against the door first.  
  
"Hey, I thought we had an appointment down in Hobbiton," he complained loudly. Frodo woke up confusedly.  
  
"What?" Slowly his eyes opened. "Sam, what are you doing here?"  
  
"We wanted to go to the inn down in the village, don't you remember? Now get out of bed you two lazy hobbits!" he ordered and stormed out of the room.  
  
It was ten minutes later that they were all ready to go. Still it was obvious to everybody who would see them, that Frodo and Níniel had just been woken up, but that didn't matter anyway, since their faces were well hidden under the hoods of their capes. Another ten minutes later they were down in Hobbiton. Frodo gasped out heavily at the sight. There were more hobbits than on old Bilbo's eleventy first birthday party and they were all celebrating. Neither he nor Níniel had a clue what was going on and so they both sat down at a table on the edge of the party ground, while Sam and Rosie disappeared in the crowd of dancing, singing and laughing hobbits.  
  
"Actually why don't you want to show yourself?" Níniel whispered into Frodo's ear, as they continued watching the whole thing.  
  
"They hate me," Frodo hissed back. "For some good reason."  
  
"What reason? You haven't done anything wrong!"  
  
"I know! But they don't."  
  
"Come on. I'll take down my hood as well, if you do," Níniel pleaded with him.  
  
"Forget it!!!" Frodo hissed angrily and Níniel gave up. There was just no arguing with such a stubborn hobbit.  
  
***  
  
"Hey, where have you been?" Sam hissed, as he saw Merry and Pippin coming towards the city hall. They both wore their uniforms of honor, that once had been given to them by Aragorn, the king of Gondor.  
  
"We're sorry. We met an old friend on the way," Merry grinned.  
  
"Are they already here?" Pippin asked.  
  
"Yes. They are sitting on the edge of the party ground, which makes it easy for them to escape."  
  
"Well, we won't let them escape. Don't you have anybody who is taking care of that?"  
  
"Well, Donny, Eric, and Mathilda are there to take care of it."  
  
"Then what are you still waiting for? Go out there, go on stage and tell them what they don't know yet," Merry insisted.  
  
"Yes, go," Pippin also encouraged him and Sam went his way. It took him quite a while to make himself heard by the others. As he stood on the stage, he kept an eye on both Níniel and Frodo and saw how the two of them became nervous. But the other hobbits became quiet and Sam had to start his speech.  
  
"My dear fellow Hobbitoners," he started and earned only little cheers for hobbits in general aren't very fond of listening to speeches. "You are all wondering why this party is taking place today." There was a lot of nodding among the crowd. "Well, we are celebrating a certain hobbit's birthday today."  
  
"But it is no one's birthday today, Mayor Gamgee!" a female hobbit interrupted him and earned a lot of supporting laughter.  
  
"That is wrong, Penelope. Just let me tell you a little story first, before I reveal that hobbit's name. You all know that we can count ourselves lucky, that we're living a life in freedom and peace again."  
  
"Yes, thanks to you and Masters Took and Brandybuck!" this time a male hobbit yelled and also earned a lot of applause.  
  
"That is only partially true. Throughout all those years, you've forgotten about the real savior of the Shire and with it of you."  
  
"You're not referring to that Frodo Baggins, are you," the same male hobbit yelled. "We can count ourselves lucky that this son of a bitch is gone forever!" Sam eyes wandered to the table, where Frodo and Níniel sat and to his relief he saw, that they were still there, even though Níniel obviously had a hard time to hold Frodo back from leaving.  
  
"Oh, shut up and listen to what I've got to tell you," Sam said and continued his speech. "I want you all to listen very closely to what I've got to say, since you obviously have no idea what has actually happened all those years ago. That very hobbit, who has left the Shire in order to heal, has saved you all. It was him who has carried the ring of power - the One Ring - for more than a year through half of Middle Earth into the dark land of Mordor onto Mount Doom. You all have no idea, what weight this ring meant and which powers Master Baggins had to resist. These very same powers almost managed to kill him a couple of times, but he was stronger than them. I won't deny that he had people to help him, but in the end it was him who gave his blood and almost his life to save all of you ignorant fools." Now there was silence among the hobbits. Never ever before, had Mayor Gamgee spoken to them like that. And to their disbelief, they had to admit, that he was right. They had never thought of the whole thing like this way before and were now really embarrassed about their own ignorance. "Today is Master Frodo's birthday and I want you all to celebrate it. There are two hobbits among us, that have partially witnessed his heroic actions. May I ask the Thain of the Shire as well as the Master of Buckland to come onto stage." Suddenly Merry and Pippin emerged from the crowd and went up on stage to Sam. It was Pippin who spoke first.  
  
"My dear fellow hobbits," he started. "I hope that you now all understand what Master Frodo has done for us. I hope that you now all understand, that he was willing to give his life for the sake of all of you," he said, only loud enough so that they could hear his words.  
  
"So do I," Merry supported the Thain's efforts to convince the other hobbits. Then it was again Sam's turn to speak.  
  
"Now, my dears, I have a surprise for you all. I want to ask Master Frodo Baggins to come here on stage." Now that really was a surprise for the hobbits. They all got up from their seats and started looking around curiously, hoping to see Frodo.  
  
*** Meanwhile at the edge of the party ground***  
  
". I want to ask Master Frodo Baggins to come here on stage," Frodo heard Sam say. He had been extremely nervous all the time through and actually had intended to flee the scenery but he had discovered Donny and Eric and he knew, that the two of them were old friends of Sam's. So there was no way for him to escape. He was almost panicking but he had no choice and had to go on stage.  
  
"Will you come with me?" he asked Níniel and looked deeply into her eyes, grabbing her by he arm. "I need you now." She only nodded and they both got up and went towards the stage. While they were still walking towards Sam, Merry, and Pippin, they took down their hoods, an action that was followed my many ohhs and ahhs from the other hobbits. Hesitatingly Frodo led Níniel up on stage and then they stood next to the other three hobbits.  
  
"Yes, Master Frodo has returned from his journey to live here again. What I want you to do now is, to listen to Master Frodo, whom I humbly ask to tell you how much he has suffered for you on his journey to Mordor and what has happened to him after he left the Shire from the Grey Havens," Sam said and nodded towards Frodo. The poor hobbit was extremely nervous and only held the stronger onto Níniel. But - to his own surprise - he started his speech with a steady voice and told them all, starting from the point when Gandalf told him that he'd have to leave the Shire and Hobbiton up to the happenings on the Orodruin. The hobbits listened in silence, mostly because they were really ashamed of their own ignorance. Frodo continued and told them about Tol Sîdh, how his physical wounds had finally healed and how his emotional wounds had almost killed him, as he had tried to commit suicide.  
  
"And all the time on Tol Sîdh, this woman was with me and has saved me more than once. I want to introduce you to Níniel Cuilanathûr, a hobbit with her origin in the Shire, but who has spent all of her life on the isle," Frodo finished his speech and waited for them to react. There was silence for a long time and then, all of a sudden, each and every hobbit jumped up from his seat and started clapping his/her hands frantically. The cheering for Frodo wouldn't subside for more than fifteen minutes. That gave Frodo the time for one more decision. As the cheering finally subsided he went on.  
  
"I want you all to know, that I'm going to marry Níniel and I do truly hope, that you will accept her as one of us. There's no difference between us and her. I love her and I want to give her the chance to live a happy life here in the Shire. I really want to make that possible for her, but I'm afraid I can only do that with your help," he continued grinning nervously. The cheering started out again and in front of all those eyes, Frodo kissed his Níniel. Sam, Merry, and Pippin joined the cheering hobbits and started applauding frantically.  
  
The birthday party went on for the rest of the night and Frodo and Níniel were both welcomed happily by the other hobbits. He was finally home again and she had found a new home. 


	15. A promise given and kept

A promise given and kept  
  
"I am so nervous," Níniel said, as Rosie helped her into her new dress.  
  
"Don't be," Rosie smiled. "If you truly and honestly love Frodo, there's nothing to worry about. Do you know what you've got to say?"  
  
"Of course!" it burst out of Níniel. "I only hope, that I won't forget what I've got to say."  
  
"Nah, you won't. Believe me. Now hurry up. We've got to go," Rosie urged her to go on.  
  
It was the day of Frodo's and Níniel's wedding and they had decided that they wanted to get married under Frodo's tree in the middle of the forest. They still would have to walk quite a distance and that's why they really were in a hurry. But so far everything went well for them and only ten minutes later they were on their way. It was cold outside, but neither Níniel nor Rosie cared. Quickly they walked into the forest and disappeared into the betweens of the trees.  
  
***  
  
Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin were already waiting for the women to come and the groom was not less nervous than the bride. The other three hobbits watched him pacing from one tree to another and they were smiling at one another.  
  
"One should think, that a wedding can't make you nervous anymore after all that you've been through," Sam grinned as his old friend continued pacing. Just the very moment he had finished his sentence, Níniel and Rosie emerged from the forest.  
  
"There you are!" Sam said and welcomed the two of them. "There's someone waiting for you over there, Níniel."  
  
"Yeah, I know," she said nervously.  
  
"Good luck, my dear," Sam said hugging Níniel. "For both Frodo and me, I'm grateful that he gets such a wonderful woman to share his life with."  
  
Níniel now approached Frodo, who was waiting for her, standing under the tree. He took her hands and looked deeply into her eyes. The ceremony began.  
  
"I shall love thee now and always.  
I shall be with thee wherever thou wandrest.  
I shall be thy companion in shadow and light  
and thy friend both day and night.  
I shall treasure our love in my heart.  
And I swear, that we will never part.  
For this is my eternal promise to you  
that never can be broken.  
This I swear and seal it with a kiss."  
  
They both had said the poem in unison and when they had finished, they kissed. Sam, Rosie, Merry, and Pippin stood short distance away from them for it was their business, to witness the wedding ceremony. Even though hobbits were well known, to be a people who like to celebrate and have huge parties, wedding ceremonies were different. It was their belief, that this was the most intimate moment in the life of a hobbit and therefore only had to be witnessed by the closest friends of the couple.  
  
As Frodo and Níniel had finished their kiss, Sam walked up to them and gave them their wedding gift. They both took the rope from him. The rope symbolized that they were now tied to one another for eternity.  
  
In silence all of them went back to Bag End. Sam, Rosie, Pippin, and Merry bid their goodbyes to Frodo and Níniel. They would spend the night somewhere else, so that Frodo and Níniel had time for themselves. When they were finally gone, Frodo lifted Níniel up in his arms and carried her inside. She kissed him as he kicked the door closed behind them and they both felt, that there was no need for words. He carried her further into their bedroom and gently laid her down on the bed. Eventually the moment had come, that they fully belonged to one another and now there certainly was nothing, that could come between them.  
  
*** Six years later ***  
  
"Damn it," Frodo said out loud, nervously pacing the living room. "How long will it still take them?"  
  
"You can never know," Sam said, grinning to himself. While his friend was as nervous as could be, he sat relaxed in his armchair, smoking his pipe. "These things take their time. Now calm down and take a seat!"  
  
"How am I supposed to calm down? I wish they hadn't thrown me out of the room," Frodo mumbled and kept on pacing.  
  
"They haven't exactly thrown you out. You passed out and Rosie asked me to take you out to catch some fresh air. You should have seen yourself," Sam continued giggling. "As white as the wall and as exhausted as can be, while his wife is doing all the work."  
  
"Yeah, go ahead, make fun of me! This is not exactly the birthday present, that I've been waiting for," Frodo said through gritted teeth. "Now just don't tell me, you were not nervous when Elly was born."  
  
"Of course I was nervous. But I never passed out," Sam laughed. "Now, please take a seat. Even the spiders in their tiny holes are getting nervous watching you. You're such a nerd. Besides I think, that'll be your best birthday present ever."  
  
"Thanks!" Frodo snapped. "Be assured, that I'm going to ask Rosie, how you've been acting, when she gave birth to your first child."  
  
"You." But Sam never had the chance to finish his sentence, because in that very moment, Rosie entered the room.  
  
"It's a girl," she announced smiling. Frodo had stopped pacing and watched Rosie like a snowman in the middle of the summer. "What are you still doing here, Frodo? Go to your wife and meet your daughter!" Rosie urged him laughing loudly. Frodo just nodded his head and stormed out of the room. Turning towards Sam she added "I'll never understand, why men are always more nervous than women, when it comes to children in general."  
  
"I guess you just don't understand what we have to go through!" Sam argued. "I mean you're fine and busy, while we can only watch and wait."  
  
"You poor hobbit. I really feel for you," Rosie grinned and jumped onto Sam's lap. She kissed him straight on his mouth. "Then I guess, I don't have good news for you."  
  
"Now, what does that mean?"  
  
"Well, in a couple of months, it'll be you pacing in our living room, while Frodo is watching you," Rosie smiled. It took Sam a while, but it finally hit him.  
  
"You mean .?" he asked. Rosie nodded. Excitedly Sam kissed and hugged his Rosie. "I love you," he whispered, but she did not hear him anymore. Rosie had fallen fast asleep.  
  
***  
  
Frodo quietly entered their bedroom. Níniel was laying in bed, holding a tiny bundle tightly in her arms. When she heard him enter, she looked up at him, smiling.  
  
"Hey there," he whispered, coming closer toward the bed until he finally sat down.  
  
"How are you?" Níniel asked him. "You were extremely pale earlier."  
  
"You're asking me that?" Frodo gasped. "I think it should be me asking you that question."  
  
"I'm okay. Look at her. Isn't she just the most beautiful hobbit you've ever seen?" Níniel said with a soft voice, looking down onto the bundle again. Frodo also looked down on his daughter, also smiling. But then he shook his head and that really confused Níniel.  
  
"She's really gorgeous, but not the most beautiful hobbit, I've ever seen." He paused to plant a kiss on Níniel's damp forehead. "That's you." He again kissed her, but most likely, Níniel didn't recognize it anymore. She was truly exhausted and had fallen asleep against his chest. Gently Frodo ran his fingers through her still damp hair and watched his wife. During the six years after their wedding, many things had happened.  
  
Sam and Rosie had moved from Bag End to another hole nearby soon after the wedding. Even though both Níniel and Frodo had told them, that they could stay (Frodo had finally accepted the fact, that Bag End was still his property) with them, Sam and Rosie were wise enough to leave. From their own experience they knew, that it was nice to live with good friends under one roof, but it was better to have an own little tunnel in some hill.  
  
Also the Hobbitoners had kept their promise to accept Frodo and Níniel. But they were not only accepting them. They happened to really like them. Two years after they had returned to Hobbiton, Níniel finally revealed to the other hobbits, that she was a healer and they all thought that this was not the worst thing that could happen to them. After all it was only for their own benefit. Healing was not a very common business among hobbits and so Níniel actually happened to be the first healer ever to live in the Shire for a very long time. Soon she had her own little house between the bakery and the smith, where she sold herbs, tinctures and ointments and tended to some smaller injuries. Even the older hobbits liked her and treated her, as if she would have lived in Hobbiton forever.  
  
Frodo had started traveling the Shire. He often got invitations from others towns and villages to come and tell them the story of the ring war. Sometimes he would take Níniel with him and then again she wouldn't come with him, depending how busy she was in Hobbiton. Frodo often took some of her herbs with him, those for widely spread diseases such as all different kinds of colds and flu. So the first six years after their return had passed by really fast and so Frodo was just the happier, when Níniel eventually told him, that she was pregnant.  
  
***  
  
As Níniel was still soundly asleep against his chest, Frodo watched the new life, that she still held in her arms. Unlike her parents, this little girl had brown eyes which surprised Frodo. But as he kept on watching his child, he had to admit, that Sam had been right earlier. This truly was his best birthday present ever and he was sure, that Níniel was thinking of it the same way.  
  
Later, when Rosie returned to check on Níniel and the baby, she found the whole family asleep on the bed. Still holding the baby tightly against herself, Níniel was leaning against Frodo and Frodo was leaning against the wall. Rosie didn't like the thought of disturbing their peace, but had to. Silently she walked up to the bed and touched Níniel lightly by her shoulder. The young mother woke up immediately.  
  
"You okay?" Rosie whispered, while Níniel tried to get into a sitting position. Whether it was pain or weakness that made her fail, she could not tell. "Just relax," Rosie told her and smiled down at the pale face of Níniel. "You've made one person in here very happy, I'd say. Have you thought of a name for her?" she asked pointing her index finger at the sleeping baby. Níniel nodded.  
  
"We had a beautiful flower on Tol Sîdh. It was just a tiny plant but every time I saw it, I couldn't tear my eyes off of it. During the days it was just of a plain white but always at night, as soon as the moon would rise, it shone in a bright blue."  
  
"What was the flower's name?" Rosie softly asked.  
  
"Pereline," Níniel whispered and softly caressed the tiny rosy cheek of her daughter.  
  
"Pereline. That's beautiful," Rosie exclaimed. "You know, I think you've made yourself and your husband the most beautiful birthday present ever." Then Rosie started grinning. "Just be careful, that you don't get mixed up with all your birthdays." That very moment Frodo woke up. When he saw, that Rosie was back and that Níniel was awake, he got out of bed.  
  
"Frodo, would you mind to leave us alone for a while?" Rosie asked. "You can take your daughter with you, if you want, and show her her new home." Frodo nodded and Níniel handed him the small bundle with a smile on her face. When Frodo came to face her, he noticed that she had become even paler, than she had been a few hours earlier. He bent down to kiss her on her forehead, but almost jerked back, as soon as his lips would touch her skin. It was extremely hot and still damp. Frodo opened his mouth to say something, but Rosie shook her head and so he only mumbled a 'see you later' and left their bedroom with the little girl. As soon as he had closed the door, Rosie sat down on the bed next to Níniel and took her hand.  
  
"You don't look well. How do you feel?"  
  
"Sick," Níniel admitted. Rosie brought her hand up to feel the other woman's temperature. She pulled back quickly.  
  
"You're running a fever. Let's get you in a bath tub and clean you off. It might make you feel better," Rosie suggested and even though Níniel felt too tired and too weak for this, she nodded in agreement. Rosie helped her out of bed and into the bathroom next door. Quickly she boiled enough water to fill the tub and then had Sam help her, getting Níniel into the bath tub.* The hot water felt good on her skin and Níniel wished, she could just stay in the warmth and the comfort of the tub forever. But Rosie didn't want her to catch a cold and urged her to clean herself quickly and urged her even the more to dry off quickly as she (again with Sam's help) had gotten out of the tub again. Rosie helped her into a fresh nightgown and then back into her bedroom. In the meantime, Sam had brought fresh sheets and blankets and so Níniel could lay down in a freshly made bed. As soon as her head had hit the pillows, she fell asleep. With a certain unease in her stomach, Rosie returned into the bathroom and only then she noticed, that there was blood on the white towels. But it was no dried blood. It was fresh blood. As fast as her furry feet would carry her, she ran back into Níniel's bedroom and carefully lifted the sheets. 


	16. Payback

Payback  
  
Sam and Frodo with his daughter were in the living room talking about bringing up children. With both Elly and little Frodo, Sam had some experience, that Frodo still lacked.  
  
"SAM! FRODO!" they suddenly heard Rosie scream from the other end of the hobbit home. They looked at each other in unpleasant surprise. As fast as they could they ran to where the voice had come from - Frodo and Níniel's bedroom. Rosie was standing by her bedside, still holding the edges of the sheets in her hands. Her face had turned deadly pale. With her eyes she signaled them to look on the bed. The two hobbits gasped out in shock, when they saw, what Rosie was referring to. The part of the sheet that was surrounding Níniel's hip was totally soaked with blood as well as her night gown. Frodo was standing in the door as if paralyzed still holding their baby child in his arms, while Sam ran towards Rosie.  
  
"What . how . why ." Sam mumbled, but couldn't form a proper sentence.  
  
"I don't know what to do," Rosie admitted with a silent voice. "She's the healer but I cannot ask her what to do."  
  
"We can't just let her die!" Sam hissed. "Do you know anybody we could ask for help?" he asked his wife, but she shook her head.  
  
"I know what to do," they suddenly heard Frodo whisper from behind. Sam and Rosie both turned around in surprise. "But I need to go down to Hobbiton. Will you take care of her?" he asked handing his daughter to Rosie.  
  
"Sure," both Sam and Rosie said in unison. "But be quick."  
  
"Yes," Frodo gasped and ran out of the bedroom.  
  
Sam and Rosie feared for Níniel's life. The blood pool grew constantly larger and there was nothing they could do, except to rely on Frodo, whatever he was up to. Hoping against hope, they told themselves, that Frodo would know what they had to do, but they dearly doubted it though. But they would have to wait for him to come back, hoping that he would return as long as it wasn't too late.  
  
Ten minutes later Frodo returned heavily breathing with a small pouch in his hand. He ordered Rosie to boil some water and make a tea out of the leaves that were in the pouch. Meanwhile he took the baby and sat down next to the unconscious Níniel on the bed.  
  
"Don't you dare and die now!" he told her in a sharp voice. "You cannot leave us alone now. I mean, you haven't even told me our daughter's name yet." Frodo shook his head in disbelief at the sight of Níniel's pale face and a single tear emitted from one corner of his eye. "Don't go now. I need you." That very moment Rosie returned with the requested brew in a mug and handed it to Frodo, taking the baby from him. Frodo poured some of the hot steaming liquid into Níniel's mouth and to their all surprise, it actually disappeared into her throat. He wouldn't stop forcing Níniel to drink as long as the mug was not empty.  
  
"I hope this will work," he said as the mug was finally empty.  
  
"The bleeding has subsided," Sam said.  
  
"Yeah, but we don't know how much blood she has lost. It's a good thing that it has stopped though," Frodo admitted. Suddenly a feeling of enormous emotional pain washed over him and he felt as if he would pass out the very next moment. But he forced himself to get up from his sitting position. "Sam," he said, grabbing his friend by his shoulders. "Would you please take care of the baby, as long as she isn't better? Please stay here, for I am afraid that I cannot bear all of this alone."  
  
"Of course I will. I think we should better leave the two of you alone now," Sam said, hugging Frodo. "Try to get some rest. What actually gave you the idea to use these herbs?"  
  
"Níniel. These were the herbs, that she gave me, when I had cut the veins in my arm open. They worked for me. Now I do only hope, that they'll work for her as well."  
  
"I do too. Tell us, in case anything changes or you need help."  
  
"I will. Thanks," Frodo weakly smiled. Rosie took the baby and then the three of them left the room.  
  
Frodo was now alone, standing in the middle of the room, watching his wife as she fought for her life. His eyes wandered from her pale face down to her hips, where that massive amount of blood was still to be seen. He just couldn't see her like this. With strengths, that despair had provided him with, he went to get fresh sheets and a fresh nightgown for Níniel. As fast and as careful as he could, he started to change the sheets. Carefully and very slowly he carried Níniel out of their bed and carried her still form into an armchair in the other corner of the room. Then as fast as he could, he completely changed the sheets, so that he could take Níniel back to bed. As she was laying in front of him, he quickly undressed her and then dressed her in the fresh nightgown. All of this happened so quickly, that Frodo was out of breath when he was finally finished. He sat down again on the bed and ran his fingers through Níniel's hair.  
  
"I won't leave you now. So please, don't leave me," he pleaded with her, even though he knew, that most likely she wouldn't hear him.  
  
***  
  
There was no pain. The only thing there was, was weakness and tiredness and a feeling of being empty inside. Níniel weakly opened her eyes and let them discover her surroundings. She was in her bedroom, at home in Bag End and Frodo was fast asleep next to her. Weakly she tried to lift her hand and touch Frodo's hand that was resting over her belly. She couldn't. So she had no choice, but had to try to wake him, by calling him by his name.  
  
"Frodo," she weakly whispered, but her husband didn't even stir. "Frodo," Níniel repeated, trying to force her voice to rise above a whisper. That did the trick. Frodo woke up.  
  
"Hey there," he whispered smiling at her. "You're awake." Níniel was too weak to answer. "I was so afraid that you wouldn't make it. How do you feel?"  
  
"I'm glad you're here," Níniel offered him for an answer. "Where's our little one?"  
  
"Rosie and Sam are taking care of her. There's something I want to ask you," Frodo said.  
  
"What?" Níniel asked weakly, fighting hard against her lids, that threatened to shut instantly. "What's our daughter's name?"  
  
"Pereline," Níniel whispered and then drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Frodo recognized this and kissed her gently on her forehead.  
  
"I love you Níniel Baggins," he whispered and then got up and left their bedroom.  
  
He found Sam and Rosie with Pereline in the kitchen. Exhausted but relieved, he sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed an apple.  
  
"She has woken up," he simply said and then sunk his teeth into the fruit.  
  
"That's great news," Sam sighed out in relief.  
  
"Is she still awake?" Rosie asked. "I mean, she might want to eat something."  
  
"She has fallen asleep again, Rosie. But thanks for asking," Frodo said silently as he watched his daughter sleeping soundly in Rosie's arms.  
  
"Are you alright?" he heard Sam asking from far away. Frodo didn't really bother to answer. Talking was way too exhausting now and preferred to keep his silence. Somehow Sam understood.  
  
"Do you still want us to stay? Because actually I think, that we should better go now," Sam said, not sure, what Frodo wanted them to do. To his surprise, the other hobbit finally reacted. "I'll make it from here," he said. "Thanks for your help. I don't know what I would have done without you." Rosie and Sam both got up and the woman handed Frodo his daughter. They all got up and Frodo accompanied them to the door.  
  
"What's her name?" Sam asked, slipping into his cloak.  
  
"Pereline," Frodo smiled. "Pereline Baggins." They exchanged some last looks and then the Gamgees were gone.  
  
*****  
  
Pereline grew up as a happy child. Níniel was well again quite soon after the day of her giving birth, thanks to Frodo's quick help. The years went by very fast and soon Níniel and Frodo knew, that Pereline had inherited Níniel's talent for healing. As often as possible, Níniel would take her daughter with her into her little herbal shop down in Hobbiton and she taught her how to produce herbal mixtures and tinctures against all different kinds of diseases and pains.  
  
Two years later, Pereline's first brother was born, whom Níniel and Frodo named Samwise. But he shouldn't remain her youngest brother. One year after little Sam's birth, the twins Peregrin and Meriadoc were born and finally, when Pereline had reached the age of fifteen, her mother, whom she called Naneth, gave birth to her youngest sister Amelia. But among all her brothers and sisters, Pereline was special in a certain way. She was the only one of them who had inherited her mother's talents and she was the only one, who celebrated her birthday on the same day as her mother and father. 


	17. Amelia

Amelia  
  
The first labor pains came sometime during the night. Níniel woke immediately and instead a feeling of panic, a feeling of gratefulness washed over her. With a smile she heaved herself and her enormous belly out of bed and silently sneaked to the kitchen. She got a couple of dried herbs from the cupboard and started brewing a tea, which would make it easier for both her and the baby. After a while the tea was ready. Níniel took her cup and went outside, where she sat down on the bench, standing under the window. She took a deep breath of the fresh night air in and sighed it out and with it let her thoughts wander. Some people had always pitied her, cause they thought that it must be a torture to be married to Frodo Baggins. After all he had gone through too much for a hobbit and they couldn't imagine that he was loving and caring husband and father. Instead they imagined him to be an old very moody man, which he happened to be actually sometimes, but only when others (others meaning those who were not family or friends) provoked him. With family and friends and especially his children he was the most charming, giving and loving man you could think of.  
  
The smile wouldn't leave Níniel's lips as she was still staring over the soft dark green hills of Bag End and waiting for the sun to rise.  
  
"What are you doing out here this time of the day?" Frodo tiredly asked her. The yawn that followed this was huge and when she turned to face him, Níniel saw, that his eyes were more closed than open. She smiled and patted the free space on the bench next to her.  
  
"Sit with me, love," she said softly and as soon as he had done so, she rested her head against his chest. "I couldn't sleep. And still today you're gonna hold our fifth child in your arms." At first Frodo only nodded, but soon his eyes opened wide.  
  
"You went into labor?" he asked, panic rising in his voice.  
  
"Easy, love. There's still plenty of time. Trust a woman who's already done this four times."  
  
"I must go, get Rosie," Frodo insisted, ignoring Níniel's words.  
  
"No. She would only sit around bored for a couple of hours. We'll manage, don't worry." She hesitated, because there was something she wanted to ask her husband. Somehow she knew, that their fifth child would be the last and she wanted it to be special. Frodo noticed her distress.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't want Rosie here. I know she's helped us a lot, but I want this to be only between you and me and the child. You've always of more help for me, than Rosie. Except for the first time perhaps," she grinned.  
  
"As you wish, my love." Frodo's reaction surprised Níniel.  
  
"No arguing?" she asked, sitting straight now, facing him.  
  
"No arguing," Frodo said and kissed her on the tip of her nose.  
  
"They're wrong," she sighed, again leaning against his chest. "You definitely are the kindest and most loving hobbit in the entire Shire." She looked up at him. "I love thee, Frodo Baggins."  
  
A couple of hours later, it was still early in the morning though, everything in the Baggins home went its usual way except for a certain nervousness that lay around Níniel and Frodo. The twins and Sammy immediately recognized and so did Pereline and that's why they wouldn't say a word during breakfast. Pereline had noticed that her mom every once in a while stopped dead in her tracks, holding her swollen tummy with both hands, her eyes closed and breathing heavily. She had a clue, what was going on. Frodo all of a sudden broke the silence to speak to his oldest daughter.  
  
"Lily, you and your brothers wanted to spend some time with the Gamgees, didn't you." The boys looked up from their eggs at their father. So did Pereline. They all nodded. Frodo smiled. "Well, I've talked to Sam and his wife and they would love to have you around for a night or two. So get your stuff together. You'll all go down within the hour."  
  
"Cool" the boys cried out in unison and jumped up. Little Pip grabbed his twin brother by the hand and told him, that they could finally let their best friend into their secret. And off they were. Sammy's face made his parents think, that he was into something similar and off he was. Pereline stayed and looked at her parents, more at her mother though.  
  
"When did it start, Naneth?" she asked Níniel who smiled in return.  
  
"Can't keep a secret from you," she grinned. "A couple of hours ago. After Sammy's nervousness when the twins were born, we thought it better, if you stay somewhere else meanwhile."  
  
"I always knew, that my folks are wise people," Pereline smiled and got up. "I wish you luck, mom and a strong dad who won't collapse as he did when I was born," she grinned, then hugged both Frodo and Níniel and went off to pack. Frodo looked at his wife.  
  
"You told her?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. Níniel grinned.  
  
"Girl's stuff," she said and got up from her seat. "You bring them over to Sam and Rosie's. I don't want them to go alone."  
  
"Lily's old enough. I don't want you to be alone."  
  
"No arguing. You'll go with them. I'll be fine," Níniel said in a playfully threatening tone.  
  
"Okay, no arguing," Frodo sighed and kissed his wife. "But it won't take me longer than ten minutes."  
  
"I promise it's not going to be over that quickly."  
  
***  
  
Exactly one hour and ten minutes later Frodo returned to Bag End. In the meantime Níniel had finished cleaning the kitchen from breakfast's leftovers and was sitting in the living room, reading in a book. Frodo walked up to his wife and knelt down in front of her on the floor. She looked up.  
  
"We're already married, love," she grinned.  
  
"How're you feeling?" he smiled.  
  
"Okay, I guess. Just a little uncomfortable," she smiled back. "Mind if we go for a walk?"  
  
"No." He got up and then helped her up. It was cold outside and so they took their cloaks. Tightly embraced, they went out into the cold and walked for a while in silence until Níniel started to speak.  
  
"Frodo, there's a reason to it, that I wanted the children to leave."  
  
"What reason, my love?"  
  
"It may sound stupid, but I know that we don't have much time left. Much time meaning a couple of years. The time on Tol Sîdh gifted me with abilities I probably better shouldn't have. After you came to the isle, especially after we left, these senses sharpened and I knew what my life would be like. Therefore I want to share this special moment with the one, I love the most." Frodo didn't say anything for a while and they went on in silence.  
  
"Do you regret that you married me?" he asked after a while and they came to a halt, facing each other.  
  
"I did many stupid things in my life, things I do regret now. You're not one of them."  
  
"I still feel guilty."  
  
"Don't. We all go through bad times in our lives and hurt the ones we love." She took his hand and placed in on top of her huge stomach. "In a few hours time this miracle of love will be with its parents." All of a sudden she grinned. "And you don't honestly think that I would allow you to put me through such torture, if I were still mad at you." Frodo looked at her stunned, but then burst out in laughter. She was laughing with him, not as heartily though, cause another contraction hit her. He now understood how Níniel was thinking and knew that he didn't have to be nervous.  
  
"Let's go back home. It's only a couple of minutes now between your contractions, which means, that there isn't much time left," Frodo said and was calm as could be. Níniel gratefully took his hand and leaned against him. She knew he was right and as quickly as possible, they went back.  
  
Once back in their smial, Níniel told her husband what they would need and went to lie down. The contractions had become quite bad on their way back and she was glad that she could rest her stressed body for a couple of minutes on the comfortable mattress of their bed. Frodo joined her after a short while and sat down next to her. She took his hand and looked at him.  
  
"I'm glad you're here with me," and she wanted to add more to her sentence, but couldn't. Another contraction hit her and finally her waters broke. From then on, everything happened very quickly. Níniel's contractions hardly stopped anymore and it was time for her to push the baby out. Frodo knelt on the bed between her news, checking on the progress of the birthing. "I can see the head," he assured her, after she had pushed particularly hard.  
  
"Glad to hear that," she joked before the next one came and the baby's head slipped out. One more. And the baby was there. With tears in his eyes Frodo welcomed the tiny new life, wrapped it in a clean towel and handed the bundle to Níniel.  
  
"It's a girl," he smiled, still fighting back tears. With a huge relieved smile, Níniel welcomed their daughter in her arms and immediately laid her down to rest on her chest.  
  
"You have thought of a name, love?" the exhausted woman smiled at her husband, but then almost immediately looked down at the child in her arms.  
  
"Amelia," he whispered as he sat down next to his wife and kissed her on the forehead. "This is beautiful," Níniel agreed and let out a sigh, that indicated, that she was extremely tired but even the more happy. Frodo lay down next to his wife and newborn with a content smile, that wouldn't leave his lips.  
  
"I love you so, Níniel Baggins," he sighed and still stared at his newborn daughter. "I love you both." When Níniel didn't say a thing he looked up at her and if even possible his smile grew bigger. She was fast asleep, but he could see that she at least was as happy as he himself. Careful not to wake her, he got out of bad and took the small bundle from her.  
  
"Now lets get you cleaned, my dear," he smiled and with the child in one arm, he used his other hand to cover his wife up. "Sleep tight, my love. We'll be there when you awake."  
  
***  
  
Shortly after Amelia's birth, the next morning to be exact, Níniel got sick again. She was not as worse as she had been fifteen years earlier, but considering that she had already reached the age of seventy-seven, it did not surprise her. Actually Frodo was more concerned than she was and refused to leave her alone for only one single moment of the day. For two weeks. He was just watching her in her sleep once again, when their oldest daughter came in.  
  
"How's Naneth?" she asked her father, sitting down on the bed.  
  
"She's still very weak," Frodo said, softly running his fingers through his wife's dark brown hair.  
  
"Will she be okay?" Pereline asked, rather confused what she was supposed to do. Her younger brothers were all out in the woods, playing the day away there as they did every single day.  
  
"I'm sure, she will, although I'm still concerned, as I have to admit."  
  
"Oh, do not worry, dad. She's strong." Pereline got up and walked around the bed to sit down on her father's lap. "After all she has to cope with you all the time," she added grinning and planted a kiss on Frodo's cheek.  
  
"Hear, hear," Frodo said in a faked shocked tone. "So you think, that your Naneth has a hard time dealing with me?"  
  
"Of course I do," Pereline said, still grinning. "After all you spend most of your time with the Thain of the Shire and the Master of Buckland, not to forget about the Mayor of Hobbiton." "Well, so does your mother. I don't think your brothers mind, so why do you?" Frodo asked, who suddenly took the words of his daughter seriously. But she only shook her head.  
  
"Oh dad, I was just teasing. Oh, by the way. Mistress Rosie and Master Samwise are here. They want to see the baby," Pereline said.  
  
"Lily! Are you mad? Why haven't you mentioned that earlier?" Frodo gasped in surprise.  
  
"Where are they now?"  
  
"Waiting for you in the living room. I'll watch over Naneth as long as you'll be gone," Pereline offered and switched places with her father. Frodo softly took the small bundle out of Níniel's limp arms and quickly left. It was then, that Níniel woke up.  
  
"Hey there," Pereline said in a melodious voice. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Hi Lily," Níniel whispered weakly. "Where has your father taken Amelia?"  
  
"Mistress Rosie and Master Samwise are here. They wanted to welcome the new life," Pereline said thoughtfully. It surprised her, when she heard her mother giggling softly.  
  
"Oh Lily, ever since when, do you talk to me like a stranger?"  
  
"That ain't fun, Naneth," Pereline said in a mocking voice.  
  
"I'm sorry, my child, but there wasn't much laughter for me the previous days. Do me a favor my child and ask Rosie to come here. I'd like to have a word with her."  
  
"But dad had me promise him, that I won't leave you alone," the tweenage hobbit stubbornly said.  
  
"I'll take the responsibility. Now go. I really want to talk to her," Níniel softly caressed her daughters hand to encourage her to do as she was bid. Mumbling something, she didn't understand, Pereline got up and out of the bedroom of her parents. As Níniel was finally alone, she let out a heavy moan of pain. Actually it wasn't the weakness, that gave her trouble, but her back. And being forced to lay on it most of the time, actually did not help matters. Few moments after Pereline had left, Rosie quietly entered the room, for she was afraid, that Níniel was asleep. She was really surprised, when she saw, that the other woman was awake.  
  
"Hey, how do you feel?" Rosie softly asked, as she sat down on a chair next to Níniel's bed.  
  
"Pretty good, I guess. It's just my back that is killing me. I wanted you to take a look. Do you mind?"  
  
"Certainly. I don't mind at all," Rosie smiled and helped Níniel to sit up. Together they lifted the sick woman's nightgown, so that Rosie could take a look at her back. She gasped out heavily at the sight.  
  
"Your skin is all sore," she told Níniel. "There are even parts, where it is all open. Do you have some kind of ointment, that you want me to put on it?"  
  
"Yes," Níniel nodded. "I think I should get out of bed. Frodo wouldn't let me out for two weeks now."  
  
"And you're surprised, that your back is all sore? Well, let me tell you this. He's done you no good."  
  
"I know, but don't tell him. He was just concerned and still has the feeling, that he has to pay me back."  
  
"Pay you back? What for?"  
  
"For all, that I've done to help him on Tol Sîdh. Now, let me get away from this place of torture. It's time for me to return into my normal life. After all this was not the first child, that I've given birth to," Níniel grinned and got out of bed, quite easily as both she and Rosie realized. "Gee, now don't ever tell me anything about overreacting women again," Níniel laughed and Rosie helped her getting dressed. 


	18. An old friend

An old friend, a new threat  
  
Time just flew away in the Shire and soon, probably all too soon, Pereline became of age. Her father, her mother and she celebrated their birthdays together and a huge party had been held in Hobbiton. It would have been held anyway, since Baggins Day had become an official holiday in the Shire. Winter came quickly and soon the land was covered in a white velvet blanket of pure snow. During the months of winter there was not much to do for the Baggins family. Frodo and the boys had been busy all autumn, traveling the Shire. It was now up to the former ring bearer to help the Thain of the Shire and the Master of Buckland occasionally and the boys just enjoyed traveling around with their father. They were simple hobbits and not really fond of anything that forced them to use their brains more than really necessary. Sammie, Pippin, and Merry were rather fond of gardening and with the sons of Sam Gamgee they had found some good companions to work with in the gardens of both the Gamgee and the Baggins families. Pereline was the one who was interested in her mother's skills of healing, but she also spent a lot of time with her father, asking him out about Elves and his experiences with them. Amelia was actually interested in everything and nothing. Sometimes she would travel with her father and brothers, sometimes she would join Níniel and Pereline down in Hobbiton in the small apothecary of Níniel and then again she sometimes would spend her time with the Gamgee girls and other children of her age in Hobbiton.  
  
Amelia's birthday was right in the middle of the deepest winter and shortly before she would turn eighteen, the Baggins family got an unexpected visitor. It was a particularly cold winter's day and they were all glad, that they could share dinner in the warm kitchen of Bag End. During general small talk about rumors that even in winter spread around quickly, they were disturbed by a knock at the main door.  
  
"Pippin, go open the door," Níniel asked her son.  
  
"Why always me? Why can't Merry go?" Pippin complained.  
  
"Well, take him with you," Níniel smiled, rolling her eyes. Mumbling some complaints the twins got up to open the door. A few moments later they returned, both with white faces, with several expressions of shock and horror in their blue eyes.  
  
"There . there . there's a . a. a giant," Pippin stuttered pointing his finger back at the door. Merry nodded his head frantically, stressing the words of his twin.  
  
"Oh, come on. There's nothing like a giant in Middle Earth," Frodo said and got up to see himself who was standing at the door.  
  
"GANDALF!" he yelled excitedly, as he immediately recognized the wizard's white robes. "But what are you doing here? I thought you were not to leave the isle again!"  
  
"Would you mind me coming in?" the old wizard asked shivering. "It's not exactly comfortable out here."  
  
"Oh, sure. Where have I left my manors! Come in, dear friend and share dinner with us," Frodo stepped aside and Gandalf bent down low, so that he could pass through the tiny door. Frodo took the old wizard's pointed hat and his stake and placed them both in a corner of the entrance hall. When he turned around again, the wizard, almost twice his size, stood there, hands on his hips and smiled at the tiny hobbit.  
  
"It's so good to see you again, my dear Frodo. And happy you seem to be, as I might add," the ancient one said.  
  
"It's good to see you too, my old friend. Come on in and meet my wife and kids!" Frodo invited him and went ahead into the kitchen. Gandalf followed him, or at least he tried. He had never really gotten used to move around in hobbit homes, and so he - once again - hit his head hard on the door frame. Frodo turned around at the sound of it, and couldn't help it but had to giggle.  
  
"Laughing about an old man, isn't a very nice thing to do," Gandalf scolded and continued his way into the kitchen, but not without hitting his head again at the next door frame. Frodo had already sat down at the kitchen table again, when Gandalf finally came in. The kids all sat around the table with their mouths wide open and their eyes almost popping out of their heads. Except for Níniel and Frodo, no one of them had ever seen a person so much taller than them. While the young hobbits still tried to decide whether they should be afraid of the giant or explore him to find out more about this strange somebody, Níniel got up from her seat and welcomed the old wizard friendly. She was at least as excited about him visiting as Frodo was and also immediately invited him to sit down and share dinner with them. Gandalf at long last happily accepted and the children got used to the company of the giant quite quickly, as they still called him, even though Níniel had told them that he was one mighty wizard.  
  
After dinner Frodo and Níniel took their youngest children to bed and only Pereline and Sammy stayed with the wizard in the kitchen.  
  
"So where do you come from?" Sammy asked the old wizard curiously, holding on tightly to his older sister for he was afraid for his safety. Gandalf sipped from his wine and smiled broadly down on the young hobbit lad.  
  
"Ah, I see you're just as a curious hobbit as your father. That is good. I've come from a far away isle."  
  
"Isn't it called Toy Sign, or something like that?" Sammy interrupted him. The old wizard burst out in laughing.  
  
"Yeah, something like that. It's called Tol Sîdh. That's Elvish and means Peace Isle or Isle of Peace. Your mother grew up there and your father has also spent a couple of years there. Have you ever heard of good old Bilbo Baggins?"  
  
"I've heard mom and dad talking about him a couple of times. I don't know who he is though," Sammy said.  
  
"Well, he was your father's cousin and died many years ago. Just like your father he used to be a ring bearer - of the very same ring as I might add. Besides he was one of the most adventurous hobbits I've ever met, save Frodo."  
  
"Tell us about him," Pereline now said, who had listened closely to the old Istari's words. And Gandalf began to tell the story of how he had met Bilbo and he took the story from there.  
  
While Frodo brought the twins to bed, Níniel took care of Amelia. The young girl was still frightened to death from the wizard's appearance and when her mother wanted to turn out the lights and leave, she started weeping heartily. Níniel smiled and sat down on her daughter's tiny bed. She gently pulled her youngest up in her arms and embraced her tightly.  
  
"There's no need to be afraid, my child," she hushed her. "Gandalf is a very old friend of daddy's and very wise. He loves hobbits and would never harm you." Amelia still wouldn't calm. The bare sight of such a giant meant pure horror for her. As Níniel realized, that there was no chance to calm her daughter with simple words, she held her even tighter in her arms and softly caressed the small hobbit's rosy cheek. Without trying to explain anything more, she started to sing in an angel-like voice.  
  
"Go to sleep my little baby, you will never come to harm. You are safe while mother holds you. Gently rest in peace and calm." She repeated the short lullaby a couple of times and stopped when she supposed that Amelia was asleep. But suddenly she heard the sleepy voice of the little one.  
  
"Mommy? Would you please sing me the one with the little star?" she yawned and her eyes popped open once more to plead with the ones of her mother. Níniel smiled down at her and nodded. Then her soft, yet strong voice could be heard again.  
  
"Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are." That finally did the trick and when Níniel tried again to leave her daughter alone in her bed, no one held her back. Amelia was already sleeping soundly, but Níniel left one candle burning in case the little one would wake up again. Then she silently sneaked out of the room.  
  
When she finally returned to their kitchen, Sammy and Pereline had already bid their good night and Frodo and Gandalf were sitting at the large table, talking and laughing about the old days. Frodo had heard her coming in and turned around to face her with tears of laughter in his eyes.  
  
"Is she asleep?" he asked holding out an arm to his wife to invite her over to sit down next to him.  
  
"Yes she is. So, do you enjoy yourselves?" she asked, accepting her husband's invitation.  
  
"We are," Gandalf said and his laughter turned into a wide smile. "It's good to see the two of you so happy together. There were times when I really thought, that the powers of the ring had broken your will."  
  
"So did I. But fortunately I had someone to save me," Frodo replied and gazed lovingly at Níniel.  
  
"You're one happy couple, aren't you," Gandalf grinned.  
  
"Indeed, we are," Frodo grinned.  
  
"Why have you come here anyway?" Níniel asked. "I know you well enough. You wouldn't leave Tol Sîdh just to pay us a little visit."  
  
"Unfortunately you're right," Gandalf admitted. "I'm afraid I've brought no good news with me."  
  
"That's what I thought," Níniel nodded. "It's always a joy to have you around, but your visits unfortunately most of the time mean bad news." She sighed out heavily as if she was afraid to continue. At last she decided to ask anyway. "Is there something wrong with Naneth?"  
  
"No, your mother is fine and healthy. No need to worry. I'm actually bringing bad news for the whole of the Shire."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked alarmed. "The ring's destroyed and Sauron defeated," he insisted.  
  
"It's neither Sauron nor anything that has anything to do with the rings of power. It's a danger you've faced once, though."  
  
"You're talking in riddles, Gandalf. Make yourself clear. If there's really such a great danger for the Shire, we've got to inform Merry, Pippin and Sam immediately."  
  
"We sure do. Men are trying to claim the Shire again. They are coming from the far east of the world and have by now already reached Mirkwood. You've gotta do something and you've got to do it real fast," Gandalf said. Neither Frodo nor Níniel did answer for a while. "I've got to inform Sam, Merry and first of all Pippin about this!" Frodo exclaimed as if waking up from a horrible daydream.  
  
"Then go and be quick," Níniel encouraged him. Frodo nodded and jumped up from his seat. "I'll immediately go to Sam. Gandalf, if you want, you can join us there."  
  
"I don't think this is a right good idea, my old friend. I suppose that I'm not a person, hobbits want to see in the Shire, save you," Gandalf said lifting an eyebrow.  
  
"Very well then. Níniel, I don't know whether I'll return home today," Frodo said towards his wife. She got up and embraced her husband.  
  
"Don't worry about us. I'll take care of the kids and Gandalf. Now you go. Plan and do whatever you've got to do and call out for me, if you need me," she said and kissed him softly on his lips. Without another word, Frodo left his home as fast as he could.  
  
"I knew before, that peace is nothing that lasts forever, but can't it at least last until the day he dies?" Níniel muttered out loud. "He's already gone through so much."  
  
"I wish I could ask you to calm down, but I guess that's too much to ask for. You're in terrible danger," Gandalf told her back. Níniel turned around, watched the wizard for a while and then sat down again.  
  
"I only wish it wouldn't always be upon him to save the rest of the world. Don't you think, the time has come for the kinds of Middle Earth to pay him back, what they owe him by helping him out now in the times of danger."  
  
"Well, of course you're right. I've also brought good news with me. There are armies from Gondor on their way."  
  
"I suppose that means, that the King himself is on his way."  
  
"Indeed. He knows what Gondor as well as the rest of the world owes this tiny hobbit," Gandalf said thoughtfully.  
  
"So, will they arrive in time?"  
  
"I hope so, my child. I hope so." There was a long time of depressing silence between the hobbit and the Istari, both of them pondering busy and uneasy thoughts. Níniel was afraid for the safety of her beloved ones, especially Frodo. Her children she could easily bring to a save place, but that was different with her husband. After all that he had gone through, he still felt responsible for all the others in the Shire. Even if there was no need to. Níniel wasn't sure whether Frodo could go through such an ordeal again and would have rather fought herself for the freedom of the Shire, than to let her husband do the fighting.  
  
Gandalf had similar thoughts, although they were not the same. Of course he was afraid for the hobbits' safety and lives, but there were different and not so private tasks, that he had to face. Ever since Men had gained more power in Middle Earth, problems were becoming more and more serious than ever. It seemed as if they were just not the right kind to rule the world, for they were only concerned for their own well-being and didn't give a crap for other kind's sake.  
  
"There's fear rising within myself," Níniel finally said. "Gandalf, why must this all happen?" "And fear is what should rise within you. Great dangers are coming. They might be not as great as the ones of the Ring War, but still they could destroy the whole of the Shire and with it the Hobbits."  
  
"I'm afraid for my children and Frodo. But more for him, because I know that he will do everything within his might to protect his home. He will no longer care for his own well-being. I have decided though, what should happen with my children," Níniel sighed with a determined look on her face.  
  
"What are you up to?" Gandalf asked her, knowing that she would do something, that was well within her powers, but beyond his.  
  
"I will have them taken to Tol Sîdh. That's the only place where they will be safe." Níniel got up and was about to leave, when Gandalf hold her back.  
  
"You can't Níniel. Elves are there and many other kinds, that have left the surface of Middle Earth a long time ago. It would frighten your children to death, if you took them there."  
  
"And still you cannot make my decision undone. I'm sure the Lady Nessea has left everything in the rebuilt Shire as it was the day Frodo and I left. Therefore they can live in a surrounding they know."  
  
"How will you get them there? We're running out of time and you'll be needed here for you're the only healer around."  
  
"You've said it so many times before yourself. There's more in this hobbit than meets the eye. I'm able to do some magic, my dearest Gandalf, magic that only Elves can do. Being almost one of them due to my education, I can do it. I shall transfer them to Tol Sîdh. They'll never see an Elf or any other kind there. Never. But don't be afraid. I shall prepare them well."  
  
"I guess that is beyond my powers and I guess I'm not mistaken, when I think that there's nothing I can do to stop you."  
  
"You're right on all points. Never mind, Gandalf, but sometimes a mother just has to do what she has to do. And I'm lucky enough to be able to do it."  
  
"Yeah, sure. Then go and do what you have to do, while I shall try to get down to Hobbiton, unseen by anybody."  
  
"Now that should be kind of difficult considering that you're almost twice the size of most of us."  
  
"I'm a wizard and can do magic too, you know," Gandalf smirked and almost hit his head, when he got up from his seat at the kitchen table.  
  
"I suppose you know where to find them," Níniel said leading the way out into the entrance hall.  
  
"I do," Gandalf said, rubbing his forehead, for he had once again run against the door frame. "I'll see you later then, Níniel," he said walking out of the round main entrance door - this time without hitting his head at the door frame.  
  
"I hope so, dear old friend," Níniel muttered and stood there for a while in deep thought. Then she forced her mind to go back to her task. Silently she sneaked through her home until she came to the girl's bedroom. Quietly opening and closing the door she went in and sat down on her bed.  
  
"Lily, my dear. Wake up," she softly demanded and even in her deep sleep, the young hobbit seemed to obey her mother's will.  
  
"Naneth. what's wrong?" she said tiredly.  
  
"Lily, I need your help. Get out of bed and dress, then join me in your father's and my bedroom. I must have a word with you."  
  
"Yes, Naneth. I'm coming," Pereline yawned and proceeded to get out of bed. 


	19. Prepared

Prepared  
  
Níniel was already eagerly awaiting her, when Pereline came to her parent's bedroom about five minutes later.  
  
"Sit down, my child. I've got to tell you a story," Níniel invited her to sit down next to her on the bed.  
  
"What story could that be, that it is important enough to wake me up in the middle of the night," Pereline complained, sitting down.  
  
"Pereline!" Níniel said, a little louder than she had meant to. "I ask you to listen to me very closely. This is of great importance."  
  
"I'm sorry, Mother," the young hobbit apologized.  
  
"Now, I know I've told you my story many times before. But I've always left out a small part, because I was afraid that this story would frighten you."  
  
"What story is that?" Pereline asked curiously. That was a part of her character that she had inherited from her father.  
  
"Please, don't interrupt, Lily. This is the story of how your father and I met. It all happened back on Tol Sîdh, a very long time ago. I had lived on the isle for the longest time, without ever seeing another hobbit. I was the only one there and so imagine my excitement when the Lady Nessea told me, that there would be two hobbits on their way to the isle. One of them was your father, the other one his cousin Bilbo Baggins. I was given the order to take care of their health. Bilbo was an old man and died quite soon."  
  
"What about dad?"  
  
"He was severely sick. During the Ring War he had suffered multiple injuries, each of them lethal itself. Yet your father was strong and did not die, even though he should have. One of the wounds was close to his heart, once caused by a Morgul Blade. The wound broke up and he almost died from it. I found him almost dead in his hole, but could save his life."  
  
"You didn't meet him before, did you?" Pereline asked, recognizing that her mother had a hard time to tell the story. Obviously the memory was very painful for her.  
  
"I had met him before, but we never were very close. That was because he wouldn't let anyone near him. It took him long to recover, but at least the physical wounds had finally healed completely. That's one kind of the magic on Tol Sîdh."  
  
"What's the other?" again Pereline interrupted, but this time Níniel just ignored her.  
  
"He wanted to be alone, mourn for the old days. So he refused to see anybody for many months. Neither Gandalf nor any other friends were allowed to come near him. And so of course I had not talked to him for the longest time, because I was everything but a friend to him. I guess the emotional pain, that still was within him, became to overwhelming one day. He's tried to kill himself. I could save him."  
  
"What were you doing there? I thought he wouldn't allow anybody to come close to him." "I saw him every now and then outside in his garden. And then it occurred that I didn't see him for a couple of weeks. So I just decided to pay him a visit anyway, just to check whether he was okay. He was not. After this, he recovered and eventually we fell in love with one another. Now, the reason why I tell you this story, is at least as hard to tell, as the story itself." "Go ahead Naneth. I'm not afraid to listen," Pereline encouraged her to go on.  
  
"Pereline, I want you and your brothers and sister to go to the Bag End of Tol Sîdh. Dangers are threatening Middle Earth and I want you kids to be save."  
  
"I don't want to go. At least not as long as you're not coming with us."  
  
"I won't be with you on this journey. I've got to stay here, by your father's side. You'll be save there. I've already informed the Lady Nessea, that you'll be coming. Don't worry. You won't get to see any of the creatures living there on Tol Sîdh. There won't be any dangers for you. I need you to take care of my other children." Níniel pleaded with her daughter. "I know that this is much to ask for, but I really need you with this."  
  
"Okay. But how will we get there?"  
  
"Oh, I can perform magic, my child. You'll find out soon enough. Now there's something else that I need you to do for me. Go to the Gamgees and tell them, what I've just told you. Ask Rosie and Sam, whether they want their children in safety there as well. They can come with you. Also ask Rosie, whether she wants to join you. Be quick."  
  
"I'll be as fast as my feet will carry me. Don't worry. I'll be back in no time," Pereline ensured her mother.  
  
"I love you my child," Níniel said, hugging her child tightly to herself before she released her into her task.  
  
***  
  
Only one hour later the living room of Bag End was crowded with the Bagginses and Gamgees siblings all of them very nervous and not sure what would happen next. Níniel and Rosie stood short distance away from them, discussing the upcoming journey.  
  
"I'm very happy, that you've offered to bring our children there, too," Rosie told her friend. "And I'm very happy that you'll go with them. I never really liked the thought of them going there alone. After all they're still children - even if Pereline has become of age and the boys are already in their tweens. Besides, it's good to know that you'll be sound and save, too."  
  
"I wish you'd come with us, Níniel. I don't like to think of you amongst all that danger."  
  
"I wish I could join you. But I can't. Frodo needs me here and if there should be a war, then they most certainly will need a healer. And I'm the only one around here." Níniel paused and saw the petrified looks on the children's and Rosie's faces. "Don't worry, my dears. I'll come and bring you back as soon as possible. Now gather in the middle of the room," she ordered. The kids and Rosie all refused to go without a final hug for Níniel and then did as they had been told. Níniel stood in front of them, closed her eyes, lifted her arms and then muttered words in a tongue, no one of them had ever heard before.  
  
"Alae, annon sîdh. Panechî."* It was strange, frightening as a matter of fact. Even though they were standing in the middle of a hobbit hole, without any windows open, a strong wind had built up and except for Níniel everybody felt, as if they were drawn into a great nothing.  
  
"Alae, annon sîdh. PANECHÎ!" Níniel repeated, much louder than before and the wind became stronger.  
  
"ALAE, ANNON SÎDH! PANECHÎ!" As the last word had left Níniel's throat, all of the hobbits, that were standing in the middle of the Bagginses living room, were drawn into the nothing. The kids and Rosie vanished and Níniel was left back alone. It became silent in the room and Níniel stood there, watching the place where Rosie and their children had just disappeared, as if they were still there. When she finally came back to her senses, she ran out into the entrance hall. There, she got her cloak, put it one and the hood over her head. Then she stormed out into the black uncomfortable darkness of the night and was on her way down to Hobbiton, to join Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry.  
  
***  
  
"Sounds like a hell of a plan to me, but that is obviously our only choice," Pippin concluded their discussion.  
  
"You fool of a Took," Gandalf scolded poor Pippin. "Of course this is a good plan. The only thing that you don't like about it, is the fact, that it means fighting for everybody. We would all rather have peace, but we're in the middle of a war. And if you don't want men to rule the Shire, then we'll have to fight."  
  
"Sure do, Master Gandalf. But I think we all have had enough of fighting for a lifetime," Pippin argued.  
  
"Stop it!" Frodo interrupted them. This won't lead us anywhere. Is everything prepared, though?"  
  
"Yes, it is. Merry is already on his way back to Buckland to inform folks there. And Sam is out, holding a speech to the Hobbitoners. I just don't know, where Níniel is," Pippin said.  
  
"She's gathering herbs, that she said she might need," Frodo explained and then looked at Gandalf who had suddenly become very quiet. "What is it, old friend?"  
  
"I'm frightened, young Baggins. I don't know if we will win against Men once more," the old wizard mumbled.  
  
"My days of youth are long gone, dear Gandalf. And as to your doubts. I've got to tell you to my great discomfort, that I share them. But we've got to do everything to defend ourselves, don't we," Frodo said, looking sternly at the old man.  
  
"Certainly. Now let's get back to business. I can feel them approaching and there's a lot we still have to do." He got up and then looked at the two hobbits. "They are near and we've got to be quick. Let's go," he urged them and they nodded in agreement. Frodo and Pippin left the city hall together but as soon as they were out on the street, their ways parted. Frodo headed into the one direction, Pippin together with Gandalf into the other. The wizard and the Thain of the Shire were on their way to support Sam with his speech to the Hobbitoners, while Frodo went to help Níniel in the pharmacy. She was quite busy there, considering that she had to prepare everything for the victims of an upcoming war. It was not an easy task for her, since Níniel hated nothing more than fighting, but she had to do it, for healers don't ask, what origin an injury or illness has. They do only cure them - at least they try.  
  
There wasn't much for Frodo to do to help her. Níniel was rotating through the entire house and hardly took notice of him. She had her mind full of the things she still needed and didn't have.  
  
"Now would you please slow down a bit!" Frodo finally yelled at her, as she once again passed him by without even looking at him. Níniel stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face him.  
  
"I'm sorry. There are so many things to do and I don't have the time to do them."  
  
"But that's exactly why I'm here, my love. I want to help you."  
  
"Does that mean, that, if I gave you a list of herbs that I still need from home, you'd go and get them for me?" she asked, a glimmer of hope shining in her bright blue eyes.  
  
"Of course. Just give me the list and you'll have everything you need before you can say herbal essences."  
  
"Now I know, why I married you! You're the best!" she shouted in glee. "Just wait here for a second and I'll write down the list for you," Níniel added and stormed into another room of the small house. Frodo shook his head in disbelief of the energy that kept her going and watched her storming out and in the room within a matter of a few minutes. He then quickly was on his way back home and to Níniel's herbs patches where he gathered all that she had written down on a small piece of paper.  
  
*** Same time in Bree ***  
  
"Take these damn little nothings down into the cellar and lock them well!" the leader shouted. "Come on! Move your foul asses!"  
  
It was a horrible scenery. The Prancing Pony was one big mess. Chairs and tables lay broken all over the room, broken tipples, glasses, and cups covered the rest of the floor. In one corner there was a number of frightened hobbits, most of them totally beaten up and terribly injured, all of them with pale faces and fear in their eyes, their tiny bodies shaking. They were surrounded by men in armors, heavy armors indeed. Their swords drawn and pointed threateningly at the fearful bunch. The faces of the intruders were well hidden behind iron masks, that were originally meant to protect them in battles and now fulfilled the task of frightening the victims, as they called the Hobbits. After all these tiny little beings were no real threat for the men. What could they do to stop them from claiming what did not belong to them? Of course, when they had first come to Bree, the Hobbits had tried to fight them beyond hope. There was nothing they could do against the intruders, especially since some of the human residents of Bree had allied with the strangers and now fought together with them against the Hobbit residents of the town. Quite a number of hobbits had been killed when they tried to defend and protect themselves, a fact that ensured the other kin only the more, that their crusade for the Shire would end with one striking success.  
  
In the Prancing Pony the surviving hobbits were taken down into the cellar and locked up in an empty storage room. There was no more hope for them and they were sure that the day of their death and salvation at the same time was near.  
  
*Alae, annon sîdh. Panechî. (sindarin) = Oh, gate to peace. Open up 


	20. News

News  
  
"Hobbitoners are preparing. The smith is already restoring the old swords and other armor. The ones who have fought against men before are teaching the others fighting skills," Sam exclaimed as soon as he, Gandalf, and Frodo met again in his office in the city hall.  
  
"That is good to know," Gandalf nodded, but without any sign of relief naturally.  
  
"Níniel is almost done with her task as well," Frodo said. "Even though I hope that no one will be harmed, she's well prepared."  
  
"Even the better to know," Gandalf again commented. He was just about to say something more, as the door swung open with a start and in stormed a totally breath deprived Pippin. Sam and Frodo jumped up from their seats and ran towards their poor fellow, who was shortly before collapsing.  
  
"Hey, calm down," Frodo told him. He had never seen Pippin that exhausted before. Something was terribly wrong, he could tell. "What has happened?" therefore he asked.  
  
"They . they . men . Bree," Pippin could manage to spit out, still having trouble catching his breath.  
  
"What does that mean, Pippin?" Frodo said, who feared for the worst.  
  
"Many hobbits . killed. It's all theirs!" Pippin gasped.  
  
"Dear heavens!" Sam exclaimed. "They're already in Bree?" he asked poor Pippin, who nodded.  
  
"What shall we do now? We'll never be able to get ready for a battle before they come to Hobbiton!"  
  
"We must!" Frodo said. "And I think I have a plan."  
  
"I guess, that's the good news part," Merry said, who was totally shocked.  
  
"I hope so. I really hope so," Frodo answered, deep in thought.  
  
*** Bree, The Prancing Pony ***  
  
"The Shire will be ours in no time," Ramir muttered to himself as he watched his men throwing and pushing the poor hobbits down in the basement. "These little creatures will never be able to stop us. Hey Bandobras, come over here," he shouted towards a tall ugly man, that was waiting for practically nothing at the main door, for there were no attackers expected. As Bandobras slowly started moving toward his commander, his sword and daggers fell menacingly against his iron armor with every step he made.  
  
"Any orders, commander?" Bandobras grunted, once he had approached the table, Ramir was sitting at.  
  
"Any of these foul hobbits left in Bree?"  
  
"Nope, all locked up. Most of them dead, more or less."  
  
"More or less?"  
  
"Some of them are still struggling for life, but they won't succeed. We've taken care of that."  
  
"Good. Go out and find Gunabald. The two of you will check these nasty holes of them for anything valuable. I like the landscape, but I like my pockets filled with gold better."  
  
"Gotcha, commander."  
  
"Be quick. Tomorrow we'll leave for that other village. Hobertin or whatever they call it. It's the last on our list," Ramir grinned evilly.  
  
"As you wish, commander. Bandobras is off."  
  
"Nah, wait a sec. You're my most loyal soldier and that's why I want you to help me with the most important task."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"The Mayor, the Thain, the Master of Buckland and their strange friend. They're not supposed to see the light of day again after tomorrow."  
  
"Sure, Ramir. Sounds like fun."  
  
"It should be."  
  
*** Hobbiton, Bag End ***  
  
"Are we ready for them?" Frodo asked, with great concern and a shade of fear in his eyes.  
  
"We've done as much as we could do," Gandalf said thoughtfully. Frodo looked up at the old wizard. There was something that he needed to ask the wise man.  
  
"Will you be with us?" Frodo said, the sound of his voice not allowing a lie for an answer and demanding the truth. "Will you be with us, now that we need your help, your powers?" Gandalf looked down onto the hobbit's earnest face.  
  
"Yes, I will. I will fight with you to defend what belongs to you and claim your rights for it forever," Gandalf said with a strong voice. "The question is, will you stay together and fight together for what you believe in?"  
  
"You really don't know us hobbits well, Gandalf, for if you did, you would have never asked us this. In times of trouble and hardship, hobbits stand together as one," Peregrin scolded Gandalf. Finally it had been his turn to show the wizard, that he was wrong. "All of us will fight and give our best, even our lives we'd be happy to give, if it should be of need for the task."  
  
"Very well then, Peregrin Took, Thain of the Shire. Let's get down to Hobbiton and join Samwise and the others," Gandalf muttered and they all left for the village.  
  
***  
  
Down in Hobbiton Sam had major troubles keeping the crowds under control. Fright was hovering over the whole bunch of hobbits like a heavy cloud of rain and the sound of some busy whispering filled the air.  
  
"Please, would you mind to SHUT UP!!!" Sam yelled and suddenly the crowd turned silent. Never ever before, they had heard their Mayor talking to them like this. Gandalf, Frodo, Pippin and Merry, who had just walked up to the gathering were surprised themselves. Samwise Gamgee was known to be one of the friendliest hobbits, one could think of. Quickly they walked towards the small stage.  
  
"We've made plans to defend the Shire. Although we do not consider ourselves heroes, we know that you do and therefore rely on us," Sam continued. "But we cannot do this alone. Master Gandalf, the White will be of great help, as he has confirmed to us, but we will need your help as well." The whispering and discussing among the hobbits started out again and this time it was Gandalf who brought them to silence. A few sparks out of his staff did the trick.  
  
"I'm sorry, that I have to say this, but we will have to fight - we ALL will have to. No one of us likes the thought. And there's one thing that makes it just the more difficult. Those men, who are attacking the Shire are stupid, yes you can say that in general. Unfortunately they've got strength and cruelty on their side, which we have not." Sighs and yelps of fright shook the crowd, but they got silent again quickly. "The Thain and the Master of Buckland as well as myself and Master Baggins will teach you in fighting skills, starting right away. We have enough weapons at hand, so don't worry about it. The smith has restored all of them, so they won't betray us in the battle." Sam paused. Telling the Hobbitoners about the approaching danger, exhausted him immensely. Frodo realized that and took the word.  
  
"Help is on the way from a far away land, my fellow Hobbitoners, so we won't be alone," he continued for his old friend. "The King of Gondor is on his way with his troops. We just don't know whether they'll make it in time and therefore we've asked you to prepare. Now I ask you. Are you ready to fight?" There was no answer to his question at first. Frodo sighed out heavily, somewhat discouraged by the Hobbitoners' and his own fear. "Listen, we need you for this. We cannot do this alone. If you want to live in freedom, you've got to fight. So I ask you again. Are you ready to fight?"  
  
"YEAH!" the Hobbitoners shouted all at once. "We shall follow you!" Suddenly the loudest noise you can think of, deafened the ears of the four hobbits and the wizard on stage. The villagers stood all as one behind their leaders, being: Samwise Gamgee, Mayor of Hobbiton, Peregrin Took, Thain of the Shire, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Master of Buckland, and last but not least Frodo Baggins, True Hero of the Ring War.  
  
***  
  
The four hobbits and the wizard along with ten Hobbitoners sat together in Sam's office soon after they had left the gathering outside.  
  
"So, how far do you think they've gotten?" Merry asked the silent crowd. It was Sam, who first responded with a shrug.  
  
"I don't know. Bree's about ninety miles from here and I suppose they have horses. It shouldn't take them longer than four days to come here. That's why I've asked you guys to come with us," he said pointing towards the ten hobbits. "I know that you're some of the bravest hobbits in the whole of the Shire. We need to know how much time we still have left to prepare for the battle. And to find that out, we need spies. Do you guys think, that you can ride into the direction of Bree and find out, where they are?"  
  
"I think so, if you give us the ponies," Meriadoc Gamgee, one of Sam's many cousins and also one of the many who had been named after one of the great heroes of the ring war, said. "You know that this can be very dangerous?" Sam asked and gazed closely at the younger hobbit.  
  
"Sure do. I'm not going to say, that we're used to that sort of a job, but I guess none of us wants to give up his home. Therefore, we will do it," young Meriadoc said and the other nine hobbits nodded in agreement.  
  
"Very well then," Sam finally said. "You must be on your way immediately. Old Kreger is waiting outside for you. He'll show you to your mounts." Sam paused and then gave the ten young hobbits an encouraging smile. "Good luck and try to return as soon as possible." The group of ten hobbits left the city hall and left back a group of five, each of them deep in their own thoughts, sorrows and fears.  
  
***  
  
Very few days later the spy hobbits returned. Frodo and the others were awaiting them anxiously at old Kreger's stables. They all gasped out in shock and unpleasant surprise, when they counted down the number of the spies. Ten of them had left - only nine returned.  
  
"What happened to young Meriadoc?" Sam yelled, as soon as the riders had approached them. Only then the waiting hobbits realized that fright and terror was written on their faces. The oldest of them dismounted his pony and stood quite shaking on his feet before them.  
  
"Young Meriadoc won't return, I'm afraid, Master Gamgee," he gasped.  
  
"What does that mean, Roriman? What happened? Now, please tell us!" Sam insisted. It was Frodo who stepped in and rescued the young hobbit from further questioning.  
  
"Sam, why don't you go and find Níniel? She might take care of them," he suggested with a great amount of urge in his voice. Sam looked sharply at his friend, but sensing that there was no arguing with Frodo, he eventually nodded and left.  
  
"Merry, go with him. I shall take them to the pub and have them eat something. A hobbit needs to eat," Frodo went on and Merry did as he was bidden. "Now follow me, young ones." The group set off toward Hobbiton's pub and soon they were all seated around a rather large table, the remaining nine of the younger hobbits eating hungrily. Frodo gave them time to finish their meals in peace and only started to ask them questions, as soon as he had made sure, that they were all well fed and ready to talk.  
  
"So, tell me what has happened?" Frodo finally asked them. Roriman sighed deeply and finally started to speak.  
  
"It didn't take us long to find them. Only two days after we had left, we found them half way through the Old Forest. They had set their camp there. We wanted to return to Hobbiton immediately, but Meriadoc insisted on spying them out. He sneaked secretly close to their camp and was discovered." Roriman hesitated for a while, obviously the pain of the memory was washing over him.  
  
"Go on," Frodo urged him. "I'm so sorry, that you've got to go through the whole ordeal again, but we need to know." Roriman looked up and straight into Frodo's eyes. Eventually the young hobbit nodded.  
  
"There was nothing we could do for him," he continued as if to apologize. "They drew him inside their camp. Then there were screams, terrible screams of pain," the young hobbit's eyes watered heavily. "They've killed him, Master Baggins. Instantly. They didn't even ask him where he was from, or whatever such people are asking their hostages." Tears now ran freely down the hobbit's pale cheek. Just that very moment, Sam returned with Níniel following close behind. Frodo saw them coming in and before he would allow Sam to ask the poor young hobbits any further questions, he insisted, that first Níniel should take a look at all of them and check whether they were okay. The healer hobbit immediately checked on Roriman, since he seemed to be the one who suffered the most of all of them. Young Meriadoc Gamgee's death devastated him and Níniel fully understood why. Even though she had no memories of her real parents, there were times when she missed them dearly and missed them more than anything else on the surface of Middle Earth. These memories were sometimes killing her with madness but she would never tell anybody, not even Rosie who had become one of her closest friends in Hobbiton. For now she took care of the nine hobbits, that had been spying out the approaching attackers, the ones who would possibly destroy the Shire. Together with them she left the pub and led them to her pharmacy. 


	21. Not without a fight

Not without a fight  
  
Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo stayed in the pub, discussing what they were to do now. Little it was they knew, only that men had already conquered Bree and killed one of them. Probably the spies could tell them, how many soldiers there were, but Frodo knew his wife too well, as if not to know that she wouldn't allow anybody to come close to them in their current state of mind.  
  
"I hope that Strider and his troops will be here in time. It'll be only of little help if they come, when all of us have already burned to our deaths," Sam said in high desperation. He didn't believe in a victory anymore and was willing to give Hobbiton to the Men, if he hadn't known, that they would kill all of the hobbits anyway.  
  
"Nah, don't draw a darker picture than suits the situation. It's not all lost yet. We're well prepared and even though they should start their attacks sometime during tomorrow night, we're well prepared."  
  
It was then that Níniel came in and she didn't look all too happy. Frodo noticed that immediately and knew that his wife was only hard to upset.  
  
"What is it?" he asked her, when she had sat down on a chair next to him.  
  
"These lads will never be the same again. What they have witnessed is much more, than any proper hobbit soul can bear. Cruelty is the least I can offer you for an explanation."  
  
"I thought that men didn't get hold of them?" Sam interrupted, obviously not quite knowing what Níniel was talking about. Well, if one could shoot daggers with one's looks, then Sam certainly would have dropped dead to the ground.  
  
"You don't need to get physical hold of a person to cause them excruciating pain," Níniel snapped at poor Sam. "They've heard their friend die and that sometimes can be a lot harder to cope with, than to actually see it."  
  
"Do you think, they'll be able to fight?" Pippin carefully asked, not wanting to enrage Níniel only the more.  
  
"That you'll have to ask them. I've done for all of them what I could, which is not much, I'm afraid I have to admit." She paused and looked at the other four hobbits and then finally her look lasted on the old wizard, who was sitting in a corner of the room, half hidden in the secrecy of darkness. "Gandalf, you should better help them, or everything will be lost." That was the last thing, she said. Níniel got up from her seat and quickly walked out of the room.  
  
"WOW!" Sam gasped. "I've never seen her like this before!"  
  
"Neither have I," Frodo said in deep thought. "And it frightens me dearly."  
  
***  
  
The two remaining days until their opponents would attack for sure, passed by in no time. All of the Hobbitoners had a lot of exercise to do. Frodo and Sam both overlooked preparations, while Pippin and Merry taught the young Hobbitoners fighting skills. Níniel spent a lot of time with Gandalf, which actually surprised the four other hobbits in the lead of the fight. No one knew, what they were doing.  
  
And still there was no sign of Aragorn's troops. It was beyond hope that he would still arrive in time, because every now and then the frightened Hobbitoners could already hear the sounds of the approaching danger, of the enemy that would finally come and destroy them. The day turned into night all too quickly and there was not a single person in Hobbiton who could find sleep that night. But that was mostly because they were not allowed to rest. The Thain of the Shire had ordered them to stand guard at every possible entrance to town for the foe. Children and those women who were to take care of them, had suddenly disappeared. They were just gone, as if they would have never been there. Everybody else had to stay in Hobbiton and get ready for the fight. Of course there was not much left for them to do. Basically nothing. The only thing that they could do now, was to wait and hope against hope, that the foes would change their minds, turn around and leave them be. But that was way out of possibility.  
  
While the Hobbitoners had to cope with their very private fears, memories of earlier and darker days pained Frodo. After all he was not the youngest of Hobbits anymore and once again he had to deal with something he had never chosen to be part of. And once again it seemed, as if he had simply no choice. He knew, that Sam, Merry, Pippin and the rest of Hobbiton sort of relied on him, the fact given, that he had faced more lethal dangers before. Whether his wife, Níniel, relied on him, he could not tell. During time of danger and great threat it was hard to guess her feelings or thoughts. She would completely disconnect her mind from the rest of the world and only concentrate on her task. Probably that was just her way of dealing with the fear, that she certainly felt. At least that's what Frodo thought.  
  
It was way after midnight, when he decided to check onto those hobbits who stood guard. Now the sounds of the enemy could be heard clearly and Frodo knew, that it would take them no longer than a couple of hours to finally reach Hobbiton. And still neither signs of Aragorn nor of his troops. To tell the truth, it scared the crap out of the poor hobbit, but being brave, when they feel like running away, is one quality that only hobbits do own (at least I do not know of any other kind). Considering that each of them was physically only half the size of a full grown man and also considering that there were at least thrice the number of attackers than defenders, bravery mixed up with a tiny drop of hope, was all that was left for the hobbits that very night. Soon Frodo had finished his little walk and was about to return to the city hall, when he found Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, and Níniel standing outside staring into his direction. Probably he had already gotten used to the sounds of the approaching foe or probably he just didn't want to recognize it, but when he turned around he could see the light of at least a thousand torches coming nearer and nearer with every single moment, that passed by.  
  
The time had finally come. In no time Hobbiton would be attacked and certainly destroyed. 'At least the children are save,' Frodo thought to himself as he unconsciously drew Sting out of its sheath and joined the waiting group. Sam had silently given out the order to all Hobbitoners that they should be ready for an attack any minute and now as Frodo looked around he saw fear written upon all the faces, he could make out in the darkness. Now it could be any minute that the first burning arrows flew into the village and would set the first houses and huts on fire. Not long and the first soldiers of the enemy would storm through the barricades and cut throats with their long silver blades. Not long until the scent of death would hover over the formerly peaceful village. An eternity until everything would be over at last. And then it happened just the way, they had seen it coming. In no time houses were burning, frightened Hobbitoners tried to defend themselves against the attacking Men, who had broken the barricades in what seemed like the briefest of moments. The first dead bodies, mostly of unlucky hobbits covered the dusty ground and there were more with almost every beat of a sword against another. Níniel was busy taking care of the countless wounded and of those, who were beyond hope, but yet still alive. Nonetheless she would tend to them and guide them on their way into the lands of the shadows from whose bourn no traveler has ever returned.  
  
Sam was fighting like he had never fought before in his life. No blade could be too long, no attacker too grim, that he wouldn't fight both at once. Quite successful he was too. He was probably the hobbit, who defeated most of the men, but to tell the truth, he was not proud of it at all. Being the soft and gentle person, that he was, he always mourned for the death of other beings, even if they were the enemy. But it was an unwelcome necessity, that he couldn't get around. The fight itself caused him more emotional pain, than any blade ever could. Cuts and bruises he suffered a lot, but didn't even feel them. Good old Sam was willing to give his life for the sake of the others and never spared a thought for himself.  
  
Frodo was just as 'busy' as Sam was. He didn't know what it was, but somehow he seemed to attract more of the enemies than the others did. Fighting was not one of his many strengths and talents, but he was quite good in it though. His way was plastered with the dead bodies of men, twice his size, some of them probably even thrice his size and Frodo didn't dare to look back. He did not like what he was doing and that tiny voice behind his eyes inside of his head (I'm sure you all have heard it at least once yourself) kept on telling him to hide somewhere until everything would be over. But Frodo of course would not. Too big was his love for Hobbiton and its residents than to leave them alone in a moment that they probably needed him more than ever. And then there was somebody else, worth dying for. Níniel. She was always with him, no matter where he went. Of course not physically, since she was right at the other side of the town. But he carried her with him in his heart and there was nothing, that could take that good thought away from him.  
  
The Master of Buckland fought bravely among the crowd. Merry felt as if his mind had been swept empty - the only thought there still was, was defending his hometown from the enemy. And that meant that Hobbitoners relied on him, trusted him with everything that he did. Fortunately he had quite good fighting skills, no, he had tremendous fighting skills, to tell the truth. But the only thing that Merry actually did, was to keep himself focused on his task and his aim. The task being the battle, the aim being the victory - even if he had to give his life for it.  
  
It was still different with Pippin. Even though he had become a very good fighter while in Aragorn's service, he still didn't like to do it, as you can guess, as none of the other hobbits did. Probably Peregrin Took, the famous Thain of the Shire was the one who disliked fighting most of them all. He had never been much of a cruel person, even though bravery and the will to fight for his and others' rights were in each and every vein of his entire little hobbit-body. Believe me, you wouldn't even like to see those things on pictures, that Pippin had to face in real live and time. The dusty streets and paths that led into and through Hobbiton were soon damp from the blood of both Men and Hobbits and every flame that burst out from under the roof of a burning house, lit the scenery in the most scary light imaginable. It was then, that Pippin did not see the soldier approaching him from behind and it was also then, that this particular soldier lifted his sword up high, while the hobbit fought against one of the foes. And it was then that the sound of at least a thousand trumpets blown at once, tore the horrible wave of the sounds of screaming and dying.  
  
Aragorn had finally arrived, right in the middle of the most terrible battle, the whole of the Shire had ever seen. His troops immediately stormed into the fight and confused the others (except for the hobbits of course) a great deal. Imagine the surprise of men, when they were suddenly attacked by people their own size plus they were much better fighters indeed. The attackers couldn't do much against the Gondorian troops and the King of Gondor himself fought side by side with the small folk of the Shire.  
  
Do you remember Bandobras and his special order given from Ramir? Well, there wasn't much going on with Ramir anymore, for he was one of the first that the Gondorians had laid in chains. But Bandobras was still left and he was the one who now approached one of our four hobbits.  
  
Frodo had laid his sword aside was now busy helping some other hobbits carrying the wounded to Níniel's house. It had become a true hospital now, since there were way more patients in the small house, than there had ever been before. Ever since Aragorn's troops had arrived, Frodo felt somehow at ease, because he no longer had to fight. There were enough soldiers on their side now. But yet the enemies did not care. Bandobras quietly sneaked towards Frodo's back, with his sword drawn and ready the cut the throat of the poor hobbit. Ready and waiting for his chance, he quickly hid under an old nearby cart, that leaned against the wall of a burning hut, when Frodo all of a sudden turned around and almost came face to face with the tall man. It was as if Frodo had sensed the approaching danger, but when he couldn't make out anything, he turned back to his task. Laying before him was one of those hobbits who had spied out their enemies a couple of days earlier; his left arm was missing up to his elbow. Frodo tried to calm him down some, but the pain was too excruciating and too overwhelming for the poor young hobbit to gulp down his screams of pain.  
  
As soon as Bandobras had made sure, that Frodo's concentration was completely turned towards the other of his kind, he left his hiding place. Now his chance had finally come to fulfill his task - kill the hobbit, that once carried the One Ring. For some very odd reason, it had been Ramir's wish, that this special hobbit had to be killed; not even Bandobras knew why. But the option of high honors, that might even make his purse a little heavier, made him forget all of his doubts (not that there would have ever been any, though). Considering the small size of his victim, he had pulled his sword back in its sheath and decided, that a dagger would do it as well. Bandobras now started to approach Frodo once again. With every step he made towards the hobbit, the dagger in his hand went menacingly higher, ready to rush down onto the small one. Bandobras stood right behind Frodo and was ready to kill him and still his victim hadn't recognized him. The tall man threw his armed arm once more into the air and just the very moment he wanted to drop it, he felt a sharp pain in his back. Without being used, the blade fell out from his hands down to the ground, drops of blood quickly joined the dagger on the ground.  
  
The sound of this finally made Frodo turn around and he saw that almost giant standing behind him, his arm still raised. Now, standing behind him was Níniel with a dagger in her hands, that was covered with Bandobras blood.  
  
"Die, you rat!" she exclaimed. "Don't you ever try and kill my husband again. You've already done enough damage." Turning to Frodo she said "Come on. Let's take this lad to my place. Gondorians have taken over the fighting for us." Frodo helped Níniel lifting the young hobbit and carry him back to the hospital. The three hobbits were already on the run, when Bandobras finally dropped dead to the ground.  
  
Once there at the hospital, Níniel took immediate care of him and told Frodo to take a seat in her office, since she had to have a word with him.  
  
He had to spend a short while on his own, while Níniel was working on the poor hobbit lad, but she came quite soon.  
  
"Did he make it?" he asked his tired looking wife. She sadly shook her head.  
  
"No, he didn't. The damage done was too much for this young one to take it." Níniel paused and sat down. Frodo walked over to her and started massaging her shoulders. At first she seemed to enjoy him doing so, but there was something that kept her mind busy, which did not allow such actions. "Frodo, please sit down. I have to tell you something," she took a deep breath in. "I just don't know how."  
  
"What is it? Níniel, you know you can tell me, whatever it is," Frodo told her taking a seat. "I wish I wouldn't have to tell you this," she went on.  
  
"Níniel," Frodo demanded softly.  
  
"Okay. Look, they found Pippin," she said hesitatingly. Frodo's face paled several shades of white. "He's alive, but there's been some serious damage done and I don't know, whether he will make it."  
  
"What exactly has happened?" Frodo asked in a silent voice. Pippin had always been dear to him, considering that he had held him in his arms as a baby when he had still been a young hobbit lad himself.  
  
"He's been stabbed twice in the back," Níniel silently explained. "But I could fix that. At least this won't kill him."  
  
"So what else is there?"  
  
"He has lost his leg," Níniel said, even the more silent now. Whether this was still possible or not, is hard to say, but Frodo's face turned even paler. Tears welled up in his eyes. "It's missing up to his knee. The blade must have been poisoned, because the wound is terribly inflamed."  
  
"No," Frodo whispered. "So this is how far this war has brought us?" Níniel didn't know how to respond to that and so she chose to stay silent and let Frodo ponder but she could sense that he had a hard time of holding burning tears back. She didn't even dare to ask him, whether he was okay or not, because she knew that he simply was not.  
  
"May I see him?" Frodo finally asked, something Níniel had been waiting for the longest time.  
  
"Sure. Follow me. He's in a separate room." They both went through a long hallway that led to a tiny chamber right at the other end of the small house. Frodo felt terrible as he entered the dark room, where the only light was spread by one single candle burning on a table next to the bed, where he could make out a still figure laying motionless. Slowly Frodo approached the bed and looked down on the pale face of his friend. Something indescribable forced him to sit down on the bed next to poor Pippin. When Frodo touched the face of his former companion in the Ring War, he could feel the heat a high fever pushed through his whole system.  
  
"It's not worth this!" Frodo exclaimed, tears now running freely down his cheek. Níniel walked up to him and laid a comforting hand down on his shoulder.  
  
"I'll do my best to save him, I promise," she whispered into his ear and then kissed softly one tear away. "Do you want to stay with him?" Frodo nodded. "Alright. I've got to tend to other patients. I shall be back soon." She hesitated. "Would you do me a favor?" Surprised by her request Frodo turned his head to face her. "Would you try to make him drink from this tea every once an hour?" she asked, pointing towards a mug that stood next to the candle on the table.  
  
"Sure," Frodo nodded and then turned his head back towards sleeping Pippin. Quietly Níniel left the room and went back to her terrible business.  
  
"Feeling any better?" she asked Old Kreger, whom she had helped to get rid of an arrow in his upper thigh hours before.  
  
"I do," he snorted. "Just as good as ever."  
  
"Nah, don't exaggerate, my dear Kreger."  
  
"I need to go out there and kick some extraordinary huge butts."  
  
"The King of Gondor and his troops have arrived. I'm afraid there's nothing to do for such an old stubborn hobbit, as you are," Níniel smiled.  
  
"Easy to say for a young lady," Kreger grumbled.  
  
"I'm not that young anymore my friend. Besides the decision who is to leave and who is to stay is up to me," she laughed and left the old hobbit so that he could rest a little more.  
  
Níniel was just busy preparing some more tea, when the door suddenly burst open. Sam and Merry walked in, followed by Gandalf an a stranger, she did not know.  
  
"We've won!" Merry exclaimed and ran towards Níniel to hug her. Surprised by his actions she dropped a bundle of herbs, but hugged him back. These were good news. "How's Pippin?" he asked her, as he finally let go of her.  
  
"He's not doing well," she sadly admitted. "But do you mind to introduce me to your friend? I don't think I've met him before."  
  
"I'm sure you have, Níniel. You just don't remember!" Gandalf smiled. "This is Aragorn, King of Gondor. I'm sure you've heard about him."  
  
"So, you're Strider? Frodo has told me a lot about you," she smiled and offered him her hand. "Hullo," Aragorn smiled, shaking her hand. "Gandalf has told me a lot about you."  
  
"Yeah, but I sure would remember if I had ever met you."  
  
"Well, we actually have, you just don't remember. That was a long time ago in Rivendell. I was there by the time that Gandalf came and brought you to the Elves' care."  
  
"See, that's exactly why I don't remember. I've only been a baby. But that was a long time ago." Before Níniel or anybody else was given the chance to say any more, Frodo stormed into the room. Whether he recognized the others, I can't tell, because he seemed to focus on Níniel.  
  
"Come! Quick! He's awake!" he yelled and stormed back to where he had come from, this time with Níniel high on his heels.  
  
"How do you feel?" Níniel asked him, as she lifted the blankets to check on his leg.  
  
"Awful," Pippin whispered. "My leg hurts like hell, or at least what's left of it." That was a good sign. He hadn't lost his humor.  
  
"He's fever has gone down considerably!" Frodo told her, almost excited about the fact.  
  
"So my tea did work," Níniel stated. "As well as the ointment, that I've put on your leg. It's not inflamed anymore. You should be feeling better in no time and your leg will be healed quite soon. I only wish I could give you the missing part back," Níniel smiled and softly caressed the pale skin of Pippin's forehead.  
  
"If it wouldn't have been for Aragorn, I'd be dead now. I guess it's better to live with a leg and a half than being out of the fun at all. I guess I owe him one or two," Pippin grinned and then immediately fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.  
  
***  
  
The damage Men had caused in the Shire and all its towns and villages had been repaired soon and life got back to normal. After the remaining hobbits of Bree had been freed, Men were abandoned from the town and it was rebuilt with houses, only suitable for hobbits. Only the Prancing Pony remained the way it had always been.  
  
Hobbiton now had many heroes to celebrate. Legolas and Gimli had come with Aragorn's troops to the hobbit's aid and so the whole of the former fellowship, except of course for Boromir, who had died many years before during the Ring War, had been reunited for one more last time.  
  
The Gondorians helped to rebuild and repair what had been destroyed and the old rural glory of Hobbiton had soon returned. The many soldiers returned to Gondor quite soon, but Aragorn as well as Legolas and Gimli stayed in Hobbiton for one more month.  
  
It might surprise you, but Pippin got along very well with only one proper leg. He referred to his crutches as his second and third leg and they had even names (Grin and Pin). He never regretted anything. 


	22. Life

Life  
  
The flu spread in Hobbiton real fast and both Níniel and Pereline were busy, tending to the sick. Forced by the wideness of the area, the flu had spread over, the young and the old hobbit had to travel most of the Shire. The old healer of the Shire had died a couple of years before Níniel had even come there and ever since, she had been the one responsible for her fellow hobbits health. Pereline helped her as much as she could with her task. She loved her mother dearly and when the older woman would work tirelessly, then so would she. Whenever Níniel would spend a night sitting at the bedside of a very serious case, Pereline would tend to the others in the meantime.  
  
They worked that hard for more than two weeks, without ever seeing Frodo and the rest of the family. And it was by the end of the third week, when Níniel watched her mother concernedly, as she was tending to sick hobbits. The old woman's face had paled several shades ever since she had started to work so hard and it was obvious to Pereline, that she had caught a chill. Her mother was constantly coughing and sniffling her nose. When business finally allowed them to sit down for a short while, Pereline decided to talk to her mother.  
  
"Naneth?" she started, uncertain of what to say.  
  
"What is it, Lily?" she managed to reply through an enormous attack of coughing, that sounded like the bellowing of an old dog.  
  
"Why don't you go and lay down?" Pereline suggested. "You are so pale and seem to get more tired with every day passing by. I'm sure I can mange on my own," she tried to convince her mother.  
  
"Oh my dear. I do appreciate your concerns, but there's no need for them. I feel fine and the flu epidemic will be over very soon. By then, we both shall seek the rest, we deserve."  
  
"Naneth, are you sure? I'm sure dad would not want you to work so hard."  
  
"Lily, your dad is not here. He's on business with your uncles Merry and Pippin. Will you be pleased, when I promise you to rest, once the last sick is out of danger?" Níniel softly asked her daughter, her deep blue eyes pleading with the young hobbit. The eyes of her mother were something, Pereline never could resist. They were just so deep and true, that she had to trust them.  
  
"I will," she replied.  
  
"Very good," Níniel smiled. "Now, it's back to business for me. Would you please boil some more water? We're running out of tea."  
  
"Of course, Naneth," Pereline smiled. With that okay from her, Níniel turned around on her heels and went to tend to a hobbit, who had caught a particularly serious sort of the flu. Pereline watched her mother, as she slowly walked toward her patients. To tell the truth, she still was beautiful and not even one single gray hair betrayed the beauty of the dark brown silk, that softly fell down on her tender shoulders. Considering that she had reached the respectable age of ninety-nine, she still seemed to be as young as ever. Of course there were now one or two wrinkles that disturbed the smooth skin of her face, but still there was something surrounding her, that Pereline found hard to define. It was some sort of an aura, that had only become the stronger and the more impressive, the older Níniel became. Even now in her obviously weakened state, a certain amount of power, kindness, love, and mercy radiated from her very self. Pereline dearly loved her Naneth and the thought of losing her, pained her terribly and as soon as it crossed her mind, she hunted it away again. Deeply distracted in her thoughts, Pereline got up and went to boil the water, her mother had asked for.  
  
***  
  
Indeed four days later, even the worst case was out of danger and that meant time to rest for both Pereline and Níniel. Frodo had returned home with the boys and Amelia and at long last, the family was reunited. Níniel had decided, that this circumstance was just yearning for a small feast and so one Sunday, she got up early in the morning, to prepare for a little party in the afternoon. The day before, she had invited the Gamgees over. Rosie had recently given birth to their eighth child, a girl again and they now had a total of three boys and five girls. Secretly Níniel was praying, that this was their last child, since she had been there to help the unborn hobbit on its way into a life outside its mother's belly, and Rosie had not done very well. After all she was only a few years younger than Níniel, who had been at the age of seventy-seven, when she had given birth to Amelia. Now she was rather happy, that her youngest child was already well in her tweens, and that meant, that Níniel didn't have to worry as much over her, as when she still had been younger.  
  
But for now she was busy with preparing the feast, although her condition made that task really difficult for her. She would have to wash her hands every other minute, since she kept on coughing and actually she found it hard, to concentrate on her cooking.  
  
Two hours later Frodo eventually showed up in the kitchen and approached her from behind as she was placing another apple pie in the oven.  
  
"Good morning," he whispered in her ear, as he tightly grasped her by her waist. "What are you doing up so early? It's cold outside and we do have a comfortably warm bed to share," he added in a teasing voice.  
  
"I've told you, that I have invited Sam, Rosie and their children over. I don't have the time to stay in bed," Níniel argued in a harsh voice, that she immediately regretted. "I'm sorry. Did not mean to be rude."  
  
"Never mind," Frodo smiled down at his only slightly smaller wife. Gently he took her face between his hands and gasped out as the heat of her skin met his touch.  
  
"You are burning," he said in shock. "You should go to bed."  
  
"I'm doing fine," Níniel said and pulled away from her husband.  
  
"No, you don't. You really should go to bed, you know. You won't do yourself a favor, staying up any longer," Frodo insisted.  
  
"I can't go to bed now with that loads of work still to be done."  
  
"How comes, that you're always that stubborn?" Frodo asked her teasingly. He wanted to remind her, that there were times, when he was right and she was not.  
  
"That's because I'm married to you and have five of your children to deal with. One has to become stubborn, if one wants to survive under such circumstances," she kept on arguing. Frodo sighed out and gazed deeply into her blue eyes, that were abnormally pale.  
  
"Listen, I've got a plan, that would serve all of our needs," he announced.  
  
"So, once again you're coming up with a plan," Níniel weakly grinned. "I'm listening."  
  
"You go to bed ."  
  
"We've discussed this earlier," Níniel interrupted.  
  
"You go to bed, while the kids and I will finish preparing the feast. I'm sure, that you'll be a lot better after a good sleep and some rest."  
  
"That sounds like a hell of a plan," Níniel said silently. "But sure enough it's a good idea. You promise, that you won't mess up the kitchen, will you."  
  
"Sure," Frodo said, smiling at his love. "I'll take you to bed now, and even though I'd rather join you, I'll keep my promise," he said kissing her on her hot forehead. Softly he laid an arm around her and led her into their bedroom. Níniel still wore her nightgown and so she luckily didn't have to bother getting undressed. As she had laid down, Frodo gently covered her up with the blankets and kissed her again.  
  
"Now sleep, my love. I shall come to look after you later," he promised and then silently slid out of the room. Silently and only to herself, Níniel admitted that Frodo had been right all along. She felt terrible and actually found it hard to breathe. A few moments after Frodo had left, the door to the bedroom opened silently and in came Pereline with a huge bowl of cold water and some cloths hanging down from her underarm. Quietly she placed her supplies on the nightstand and sat down on the bed. She quickly wetted one of the cloths, folded it and placed it on her mother's hot forehead.  
  
"Thank you, my child," Níniel whispered, half asleep, her eyes closed tightly. She never saw that one single tear, that ran down her daughters cheek.  
  
Pereline and Frodo took turns in re-wetting the cloth for Níniel. The old hobbit woman was fast asleep all day long and never recognized neither of them coming in.  
  
***  
  
Sometime between late afternoon and early evening, the Gamgees arrived in Bag End. Merry, Pippin, Sammy, and Amelia immediately claimed the Gamgee kids and off they were to play in their rooms. Frodo and Pereline meanwhile welcomed Sam and Rosie and led them into the kitchen, where the dishes had been finished only a few moments before. Frodo told Pereline to show their guests into the kitchen, while he would go and wake Níniel.  
  
As he came into their bedroom she was still sleeping soundly. Frodo almost caught himself, obeying the wanting to let her sleep, but he had promised to wake her up and so he quietly approached their bed. After all Níniel didn't look that pale anymore and the fever had gone down considerably, but hadn't vanished completely.  
  
"Níniel, darling, wake up!" Frodo whispered. "Our guests have arrived." Níniel stirred under the gentle sensation of his fingers running through her hair. Not really wanting to, she opened her eyes and tiredly smiled at her husband.  
  
"You kept your promise," she said in a voice that hardly rose above a whisper."  
  
"I sure did," Frodo grinned. "I would never lie at the ones I love," he added, his face becoming serious again. "And I do love you," Frodo whispered as he kissed her tenderly on her dry lips.  
  
"I love you too," she whispered back.  
  
"Now let's get going," Frodo demanded, jumping up from his seat. Rosie and Sam won't wait forever, as well our all brats." He lit a couple of candles and one oil lamp and then started searching through the closet to find some nice clothes for his wife.  
  
While he was searching, Níniel watched him doing so. He had only changed little ever since she had met him for the very first time. His hair, much like her own, was still of that dark brown she loved so much. His body also was still in great condition, still the slim man, that she had fallen in love with so many years ago. The face with the noticeable Elvish features had aged indeed, but only in a way that it had lost the innocence of youth and won the wisdom of years and experience. And something else, that no one but Níniel could see, hadn't changed. He was still Frodo. Her Frodo. Soft and gentle, always concerned for the well-being of his children and wife, not allowing any harm to come near them. Well, that of course could be noticed by outsiders as well, but of course Níniel felt different about it, for she was one of those, Frodo would have given his life for. After living with him for a little more than forty five years, she knew him all too well. She knew, that he still loved his old companion and friend Samwise, but that love was of a different kind. Probably the way Frodo felt towards Sam, was real love, since Níniel knew, that it was not love that she and her husband shared. The power that had tied them together many years ago, was way stronger and greater than love could ever be. She didn't know how to name or explain that power, though. It was just there, for both of them to feel it. Without any doubt, Níniel knew that Frodo was her soul mate. He was just like her. And she was just like him.  
  
"What do you think?" Níniel heard Frodo say from far away. Confusedly she looked up and watched her beloved ones face.  
  
"What?" she asked him, watching him suspiciously as he stood there in the middle of a huge pile of all kind of skirts, blouses, and dresses, that lay spread across the whole room's floor.  
  
"Will you wear that red dress? I think you look gorgeous in it," he said, freeing his foot from a blouse's sleeve, that had winded around it. Níniel couldn't help, but had to laugh at that sight, which she should immediately regret, since it imprisoned her entire body in an enormous attack of bad coughing.  
  
"You alright?" Frodo asked, already knowing both the answer and the truth.  
  
"I am," Níniel lied through her last coughs. She slowly got out of bed and almost fell when she tried to stand up on her feet.  
  
"Are you sure?" Frodo questioned with great concern in his voice. "You've been up and running around with that cold for too long now. You probably should better stay in bed." Níniel could already feel the heat inside of her rising up again, but she was determined to attend their party, even though the constant feeling of dizziness just refused to let go of her.  
  
"Remember, what you've promised me," she demanded and grabbed the red clothing from her husband. "Now you can either make yourself useful and help me into that dress or go," she smirked, already knowing, that Frodo would do everything but leave. So she started to undress from her nightgown and soon she stood in front of him, only in her underwear, but in all her physical beauty, that she still owned. Frodo did not hand her the dress, but kept on staring at her. Níniel smiled, slowly walked towards him, took his head between her hands and kissed him fully on his lips. "What would I do without you?" she whispered and kissed him again, this time behind his ear with more passion. For such a long time they had been forced to walk on different paths and now that they were finally reunited, their passion for each other was just overwhelming. Neither of them seemed to care, that Níniel was actually still sick, when Frodo tenderly lifted her up into his arms and carried her back onto the bed.  
  
***  
  
"I wonder, where they are," Pereline muttered aloud and stared out of the kitchen door. She had been waiting for Frodo to return with Níniel for almost an hour now, and she began wondering, whether they were okay. After all, they were old hobbits now, even though they appeared younger than they were. "Sam, Rosie. Please excuse me. I'll go and check on my parents."  
  
"I'm sure they'll be right here. Frodo and Níniel might just have another fight about what clothes to wear. These arguments become worse, when getting old," Sam tried to convince Pereline. With a certain unease somewhere in her stomach, she kept on staring into the hall, when she heard a door being opened from further into their home. She could hear two pairs of hobbit feet coming closer and only a matter of moments later, Níniel and Frodo walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Sorry for being late," Níniel apologized. "Had a little argument about what clothes to wear." Her face was all red, as if she had just run a marathon. That would have been nothing to wonder about, if Frodo hadn't looked just the same.  
  
"So, what do we have here?" Sam asked, quickly changing the topic to the feast, the Baggins family had prepared. That did the trick and soon they were all enjoying a delicious dinner.  
  
Only Níniel would not eat much. The color of her face had faded quickly and she had become extremely pale again. Also she suffered quite huge coughing attacks. 


	23. Death

Death  
  
Throughout the year and the changing season, Níniel's condition didn't really change. As a matter of fact, she never fully recovered from her flu and there were times when she was dreadfully sick, and times when she felt better. But as autumn approached and the days became colder again, her condition worsened. She couldn't get out of bed anymore and most of the time she was sleeping and the few conscious moments there were, she shared with her husband and Pereline. Rumors of strangers, most likely dangerous strangers, spread in the Shire and eventually hit Hobbiton. Frodo was in quite a misery now, since he did not want to leave his wife but on the other hand he wanted to help his old friends Sam, Pippin, and Merry who now had to face the task to prepare the Shire for another attempt to defend themselves against evil forces. Ever since the attack of men, fear was a constant companion of each and every hobbit and the mighty ones now had to do all they could, to keep them calm. The rumors reached their peak, as it came to the hobbits' knowledge, that the strangers could be men after all and with this knowledge, fear also reached its highest height. The day came, when Frodo didn't give a crap anymore. Níniel's condition just did not change for the better, but for the worse and he refused to leave her alone. He was afraid to lose her, even though they had shared a long life together. Níniel to him still seemed to be the same. Her looks had hardly changed and in his eyes, she was just as beautiful as ever. Frodo knew, that she hadn't changed at the inside either, that she still loved him as much as ever, probably had only gained just the more wisdom. The older both of them had become, the more their love had grown and that bond, that had bound them together so many years ago on the day of their wedding, was stronger than ever.  
  
One day, Pereline came into the bedroom to find her father sitting next to her mother on the bed. That had become a normal sight to her, and also it was normal for her, that Frodo wouldn't even tear his eyes off of Níniel when the door opened, since he was afraid to lose one valuable moment of looking at her.  
  
"Father?" Pereline said silently, unable to hide the fear in her voice. Yet Frodo did not look up at her. It didn't even make him wonder, that she had never called him father before.  
  
"What?" he whispered, his voice sad as ever since his wife had become so sick.  
  
"There are strangers out there," Pereline said with a shaky voice. "They claim to see Naneth." Now Frodo finally looked up at her, with a look of surprise on his face.  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"I do not know. But the leader of them said, that she'd know Naneth and that she must see her. They are as tall as Gandalf, but yet different. They have pointy ears and wear some really strange clothing. Fancy, I'd say," Pereline said.  
  
"Elves?" Frodo whispered, more to himself than to Pereline. "Probably they can help her." Now suddenly all the energy, that he had lost throughout the weeks and months of tending to his sick wife, had returned and he stormed out of the room, only to leave a petrified Pereline back, who had no idea, what this was all about.  
  
And Elves the strangers were. Frodo at first had a hard time to recall the names belonging to the faces, but it fortunately didn't take him long.  
  
"Lady Nessea," he whispered in huge surprise and bowed deeply in front of the high Elf. "You've come to see your daughter, I suppose."  
  
"Indeed, that's the reason, why I'm here. Where can I find her?" the Elf woman asked, trying to smile down at Frodo, whom she dearly loved because her daughter loved him, but had a hard time to, for she was too worried for Níniel's well being.  
  
"My lady," Frodo quietly said. "Níniel is very sick and has to stay in bed. I'm afraid we know of no cure for her. But you may go and see her." Nessea entered the hobbit hole and had her guards waiting outside for her. Frodo could only make out one face, that he knew, among them. It was Glorfindel.  
  
"May I lead you to her?" Frodo humbly asked.  
  
"No my son, I will find my way," Nessea softly said and went towards the bedroom.  
  
When Nessea sat down on the edge of the bed, Níniel woke up. She found it hard to believe, that it actually was her mother, sitting there. Actually she thought, that she was dreaming.  
  
"Hello, my child," Nessea whispered tenderly and caressed Níniel's hot cheek.  
  
"Is this a dream, or are you real?" Níniel weakly asked but then made an instant attempt to answer her question herself. "No, I must be seeing things. I'm running fever. Naneth can't be here."  
  
"I am here, my child," Nessea said. "Is this your oldest daughter?" she asked, pointing at Pereline, who was still standing like paralyzed right next to the door. Níniel turned her head and then nodded, hardly noticeable. "She's just as beautiful as you are, my dear," the Elf said and then introduced herself to the young hobbit. "I am your grandmother, my dear. Don't be afraid of us. There won't be any harm coming upon you. Now go to your father. He needs you and I need a word with my daughter." Pereline was still too frightened to argue with the stranger and quietly left. Nessea turned her head back to her daughter.  
  
"Haven't seen you in a long time, Naneth," Níniel whispered. "I've missed you."  
  
"And I missed you. I'm so glad that you finally could live your life, the way you always wanted to. You have a wonderful husband and wonderful children. But you've frightened me, my dear. You're terribly sick."  
  
"How comes you know all of this?" Níniel managed to choke out, but her voice faded again immediately.  
  
"That's part of being the queen on Tol Sîdh. I've come to take you home. You can heal there," the Elf said, and secretly wiped a tear away, as Níniel had just closed her eyes once more. There was silence for a long time and Nessea was afraid, that Níniel had fallen asleep again, until the hobbit started to speak.  
  
"I cannot, Naneth. My home is here in the Shire, with Frodo and my children. I cannot come back," she said, with a steady voice to her mother's surprise.  
  
"But you will die soon, if you don't come with me."  
  
"Then may it be," Níniel whispered. "If my time has come, I will accept it. I am no Elf. I am a hobbit and an old one too. My time has come."  
  
"I understand," Lady Nessea said and took her daughter's hand. "You've always been my greatest treasure. No gold or other richness is as valuable to me as you are. I will miss you."  
  
"The time will come, when we all will be reunited again in peace. Forever it may be then."  
  
"Yes, forever," Nessea said and kissed Níniel on her white forehead. "Then go with my blessings. I will dearly miss you."  
  
"I will miss you too. Just treasure the good memories in your heart and pain and grief shall not be your companions."  
  
"I will."  
  
"I love you, Naneth," was the only thing, that Níniel could say before she fell asleep again. Nessea sat with her for some time and bid her a silent adieu. Kissing her one more time, she got up and left her daughter forever.  
  
***  
  
Frodo was waiting for the powerful Elf to return in the living room of Bag End. Pereline and the other children were there with him. In the meantime he had explained to them, who the strangers were. Nessea entered the room, tears running down her high cheekbones freely.  
  
"Go to your wife, my dear Frodo. Her time is near," she said. "I wish you farewell and want to thank you for loving my daughter."  
  
"Farewell, my lady Nessea," Frodo said, getting up from his armchair. "I will make sure, that she'll be remembered forever." Nessea kissed Frodo on his head and then, as quickly as she had come, she left Bag End and never returned to the Shire. When Frodo returned to his children, they all had tears in their eyes.  
  
"Is it true," Amelia, the youngest cried. "Is Mommy going to die?"  
  
"I'm afraid, yes, my dear," Frodo said in a soft voice. There was a long silence between them and the younger of Frodo's and Níniel's kids were weeping quietly. All of sudden, it was Pereline who got up from sitting on the floor. Straightly she walked toward her father, who was close to tears himself, but tried his best to keep himself steady.  
  
"Go to her then," Pereline said, gazing deeply into her father's blue eyes. "Go and stay by her side. If these should really be her last moments or days on this world, then she should spend it with the one, she loves."  
  
"You're right," Frodo whispered and then took his oldest daughter in a tight hug. He could no longer hold his tears back and also Pereline was crying now. "Stay with your brothers and sister. They need you now." He released her from his embrace and quietly sneaked out of the living room.  
  
Níniel was once again asleep, when Frodo returned to their bedroom. He laid down next to her and softly took her weak hand into his.  
  
"I know that you've got to go," he whispered with tears in his bright blue eyes. "But I wish you wouldn't have to. I just don't know, how I am supposed to live without you. It has always been you, who made my life worth living. You've given me five of the greatest children ever and just your presence, just you being around, made me the happiest hobbit on earth. Please, Níniel, my love. Don't leave me now." And as if for an answer, he suddenly felt his hand being squeezed. As he lifted his head to look at Níniel's face, he saw, that her eyes were actually open.  
  
"Don't be afraid of things that are meant to come. For they will happen, whether we want them to happen or not. My time has come, my love. We've shared the most wonderful time and I owe you more, than I could ever give you back in a hundred lifetimes." Weakly she lifted her hand to softly caress Frodo's hot cheek. He brought his hand up to his face and placed it over Níniel's. As she was watching him with those big deep blue eyes of hers, tears began to run freely from Frodo's eyes. "No, no" Níniel tried to hush him with a soothing voice. "Don't cry for me. Until the day that we shall meet again, I will keep an eye on you. You will never walk alone until your time will come as well. The promise we've once given one another is meant for eternity, so we'll never be separated for real," she continued, running her fingers swiftly through Frodo's dark brown curls. "Not even death can separate us."  
  
"I'm not so sure about it," Frodo chocked out through a couple of hard sobs.  
  
"Then you make it only the harder for me to go. I know I have to and nothing can stop the dark angel to spread its black wings over me. But as long as I don't know, that you'll be okay, I'll have to go with great grief and pain." Níniel was aware of the fact indeed, that she was sort of blackmailing Frodo. But she just wanted to make sure, that he'd be alright. She wanted him to tell her. "Take care of our children and yourself. That's all I ask of you. And if you could spare a thought for me every now and then, it'd make me happy." Frodo snuggled up against Níniel's chest like a little baby against his mother's breast. She felt so warm, so comfortable, but still Frodo could feel her energies fading.  
  
"I love you," he whispered and lifted his head slightly to kiss her on her pale lips. She kissed him back and then weakly smiled at him.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Next day in the morning, it was the 1st of Winterfilth, she was gone forever. 


	24. Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye  
  
She was already dead, when Frodo woke up from a night of uneasy sleep. It didn't take him more than a single moment to realize, that she was gone. Having all of his tears shed for the moment, he kissed her silently on her forehead and sneaked out of the room, as if he was afraid of waking her up. Quietly he walked into the living room, where he found all of his five children in a tight bundle of legs, feet, arms and heads asleep on the floor. The fire had long burned out and the first rays of daylight already broke through the round windows of the hobbit hole. He tiptoed towards the sleeping children and knelt down next to them. Gently he shook Pereline by her shoulders. The young hobbit woman woke up with a start and from the look on her father's face, she could tell, that her mother had died. Tears welled up in her eyes and she sank down into the comfort of her father's arms.  
  
"It's okay. Cry, my child," he whispered soothingly in her one ear and held her tight, while she wept all the pain out of her system. The sound of their sister crying woke the other Baggins kids and as their sister before them, they also knew, what had happened. Only a matter of moments later they all sat on the living room floor, snuggled up against one another, weeping out their grief.  
  
***  
  
Níniel's funeral took place three days later. All of Hobbiton and hobbits from all around the Shire attended the ceremony. There was a huge crowd on the cemetery field and it was all in all a very touching ceremony, held by three of the closest friends to the Baggins family - being of course Sam, Merry, and Pippin.  
  
Still on the same day that Níniel had died, Frodo had given Sam a small note with the words meant for Níniel's tombstone. The Mayor of Hobbiton of course had managed to find a stonemason who created the most beautiful tombstone for the Healer of the Shire within the three days.  
  
After the ceremony had been over and the crowd was gone, Frodo, Pereline, Samwise, the twins Peregrin and Meriadoc, and Amelia as well as Sam, Merry, and Pippin with their families stood in front of Níniel's grave, all of them thinking of all the beautiful moments they had shared with this all so strange hobbit woman.  
  
Now here follows, what could be read on the stone:  
  
Here rests the body of  
Níniel  
Healer of the Shire  
Wife of Frodo Baggins,  
Mother of Pereline, Samwise, Peregrin, Meriadoc, and Amelia Baggins.  
Born on 1st of Winterfilth 1370  
Died on 1st of Winterfilth 1470  
  
She came to .  
. plant a smile into mourning eyes.  
. take away stones on the road, for searching feet to find their way.  
. lead the fearsome over bridges of pain.  
. spread hope over fields of sorrow.  
. offer an open hand, when offered the fist.  
. love without asking for a reason.  
She came to enrich our lives endlessly,  
And died to leave a hole, that can't be filled in eternity.  
  
The visible is gone. All that remains is the memory and pain.  
I love thee. Frodo  
  
Frodo soon found himself encircled by his children all of them unable to shed any more tears. Pereline stood closest to him and after a while she softly tugged him by his cloak, pulling him gently away from the fresh grave.  
  
"Come on, father. There's something I've got to give you," she whispered weakly and Frodo obeyed her, even though he wished, he could stand at Níniel's grave forever. The remaining Bagginses were guided home by their friends, who protected them as best as they could from all the curious eyes of those, who had not attended the funeral.  
  
***  
  
Back at Bag End the other adults took care of the children, while Pereline pushed her father further into the hole towards his study. She told Frodo to sit down and then disappeared only to return a few moments later with quite a large rolled up sheet of white paper in her hands.  
  
"Naneth wanted me to hand this out to you on the day of her funeral," she silently said, trying hard to hold her own tears back. Frodo slowly took the gift from his dead wife out of his daughter's hand. "Call for me, if you need me. I'll be with the rest of the others," Pereline said and then sneaked out of the room. Once alone, Frodo untied the tiny rope, that held the roll together. Out fell a smaller piece of paper. He laid the large one aside and opened the other one. It was a letter. Frodo could clearly make out the fine lines of Níniel's handwriting.  
  
My dearest Frodo, I'm so sorry, that I had to leave you alone. I truly hoped that this would never happen. But now it has and I'm not sure, what future you're facing. The thought of leaving you alone for uncertain time causes me great pain and I'm not sure, whether I can handle this. But that's it just for me and there are a few things that I want to tell you, before I have to bid my last goodbye. Many things in our life together we took for granted, even though we always knew, that they were not. So many things have been left unspoken between the two of us, fears that both of us had, but were too coward to admit. Certainly my biggest fear has always been the one of losing you. Just the bare thought of a life without you makes me hurt both physically and emotionally. I might have never told you this, though. That one day long ago when I found you more dead than alive soaked with your own blood - it was the darkest day in my entire life. There wasn't much of life left in you and I was almost sure, that you wouldn't make it. Fortunately the brave hobbit within yourself won and brought you back to me. Ever since then there's hardly been a moment, that we did not share, whether bad or good ones. I want to thank you for giving yourself to me. My feelings towards you never changed and they never will. You are my soulmate, the better half of me, so to say. Please, you've got to promise me something, Frodo. Don't cry for me, for we won't be separated forever. The day will come - and that I promise - that we will be one again. And from that moment on we'll truly be together forever. I know there's always been a feeling of guilt inside of you. Frodo, please set yourself free from it. None of what has happened has been your fault. You certainly are the last to blame! You were forced into something, that you never really wanted to be part of and you even volunteered for a task that was not yours. It were the others who were weak - each and every one of them, not you. You own the strength that was needed to carry the burden. And you did very well, my love. I've known about you, long before you had the slightest idea of the one ring. Actually I've known you from that day on, that your parents died. Weird, huh? But true, though. There's not much left for me to say, my love. I hope you do like the present. Pereline has drawn it. I think she's done a great job. Take care of our children. I know they're not like little kids anymore, but they do still need you. One more last word, and then I'll let you go. I love you, Frodo. I've always loved you and I will always love you. Until we meet again, I shall keep my eyes on you. Forever yours, Níniel  
  
With tears in his eyes, Frodo laid Níniel's letter aside and took the larger sheet in his shaking hands. He unrolled it and discovered a painting of Níniel. She was as beautiful as he remembered her and there were no signs of sickness or sorrow upon the fine lines of her face. Níniel smiled at him and that look in her eyes forced a smile to kiss his lips. Many good memories of his wife suddenly washed over him, too many to bear at once. Frodo's tears had vanished and he got up from his seat. Laying the painting aside he started to walk out of his study to join his children. He wanted them to remember their mother the way she was. Simple and yet full of strength and power that could easily rule the world. Now he finally realized, that even though she was physically gone, Níniel was still with them. She lived on in their memories. There she would live on forever and there was nothing that could take the memories away from anyone, that had ever met Níniel Cuilanathûr, the Elvish Hobbit, Healer of the Shire, loving wife and mother. 


	25. A circle completed

A circle completed  
  
*** early spring of 1488, nineteen years after Níniel's death ***  
  
Frodo sat alone in his study. It wasn't much like a study anymore though, since there no longer was anybody in Bag End, that could have disturbed his privacy. The youngest of his children, Amelia, had left his hole forever a couple of weeks earlier to live with her freshly wedded husband. To Frodo's great pleasure the lucky hobbit to get his youngest daughter had been one of Sam's brat, Hamfast to be exact.  
  
Ever since Níniel had died, almost nineteen years before, Frodo felt really lonely. Even though Sam, Merry and sometimes even Pippin would pay him a visit every once in a while, life was just not the same anymore without her. Frodo's hair had turned gray throughout the years and he was walking on a stick now. A couple of years before, he had broken his leg on a slippery bridge and ever since it gave him trouble walking properly.  
  
As weird as this may seem, he sometimes even welcomed his loneliness. After Níniel's death, life had changed completely and even though his kids were now finally all having their own families, there was always somebody around him. Pereline's oldest son was fifteen and he visited his grandfather very often. The young hobbit was eager to hear about Frodo's adventures and almost every afternoon he would come by and listen to the tales of his grandfather. Pereline would also visit her father very often. She took care of him in a way, that only a person who's gone through a lot of bad times with you, can take care of you. Frodo never admitted it though, but Pereline, or Lily as he liked to call her, was his favorite child. Of course that didn't mean, that he didn't love the other four as well, but his oldest daughter was just special. She reminded him a lot of his wife, even though her looks showed the Baggins' side easily. It was more the way she was acting and treating him, that reminded him of Níniel. But then all this love and caring sometimes just became too overwhelming, and Frodo would flee from his own home and walk out into the forest as fast as his old feet would carry him. As you might guess, Frodo didn't live an easy life. Every now and then he would visit Sam and Rosie and have afternoon tea with them, but as time passed by, his visits lessened and he preferred to spend more time on his own. Only to one person he would completely open himself to, and to the surprise of many, this person was not Samwise Gamgee, but no other than the Thain of the Shire, Peregrin Took. The two of them spent a whole lot of time together. As strange as is seems, but the wounds that both of them had carried away from the wars, sort of bound them together. Pippin had lost a lot of his foolishness that he had once been famous for and had become a rather serious hobbit, that liked to sort out facts and think about things first, before deciding upon them.  
  
Little wonder, that Pippin was once again visiting his old companion on one particularly rainy summer afternoon. Even though he had a whole lot of work to do, he paid Frodo a visit, as he would do every once a week. Frodo was quite pale when he opened the front door for Pippin. "Hey, how're you doing, old friend?" Pippin greeted the older hobbit.  
  
"Come in, Pip," Frodo smiled and stepped aside, so that Pippin could slip through the door easily, or at least as easily as his crutches would allow him to. They made themselves comfortable in front of the crackling fire in the sitting room. Frodo was smoking his pipe and Pippin just sat there and stared at the flames as they slowly licked the wood away. Soon he turned his head to stare at something else, actually at somebody else. Frodo seemed to be heavily depressed. It was not that Pippin wouldn't have noticed that before, but there was something that was giving him more trouble than usually.  
  
"What is it?" he finally asked his old friend. Surprised by Pippin's voice breaking the silence, Frodo lifted his head and looked out of pale eyes at his friend.  
  
"Soon it will be twenty years, that Níniel has died," he simply said. He actually said it, as if he was talking about the weather and not his dead wife.  
  
"I know. Are you planning anything?" Pippin asked, suddenly slightly worried that Frodo wanted to bring his life to an end on his own.  
  
"You're asking whether I'm thinking of killing myself?" Frodo formed Pippin's thoughts into words. Slowly the other hobbit nodded. Frodo smiled weakly. "No, I'm not." Then suddenly laughing out loud he added. "You know, I think Gandalf was right. You sometimes can really be a fool of a Took."  
  
"Well, thanks," Pippin grinned back at him. But his expressions became quickly serious again. "Frodo, you cannot lie at me after all these years. There is something bothering you and I would like to know, what it is."  
  
"Well, that's sorta hard to explain," Frodo finally admitted. "Actually it is weird."  
  
"Well, go ahead! Tell me!" Pippin demanded.  
  
"Memories are coming back."  
  
"Memories? Of what?"  
  
"The War. And it is happening again," Frodo said and he suddenly seemed to be deeply lost in his thoughts. Pippin didn't quite understand what the other one was talking about.  
  
"You're not going to tell me, that there's another war threatening the Shire? Now where have you hidden that wizard?" he asked, remembering that it had always been Gandalf, bringing bad news, especially such of war and death.  
  
"Not another war, Pippin. Memories of the things I've seen in Mordor are coming back and such of things, that happened to me. And they're not only affecting me emotionally. I had one of these strange seizures again, one of the kind I used to have, before I left for Tol Sîdh."  
  
"What do you think is it, that causes them?"  
  
"I don't know. I honestly don't know. Probably I just have too much time at hand to dwell in my past, although I hardly doubt that."  
  
"Then what do you think it is? The way you're talking, you're suggesting that you have an idea, what it is that causes the seizures."  
  
"You must promise first, that you won't laugh at me," Frodo insisted, suddenly feeling stupid about the way he was feeling.  
  
"Come on Frodo. I've never laughed at you."  
  
"Okay. I think it's because Níniel .." Frodo experienced a hard time to go on with what he was about to say. "I think it's because she's gone." To his surprise, well probably to their both surprise, Pippin immediately understood, what Frodo was talking about.  
  
"But it's almost been twenty years. It can't be that," Pippin said, half- heartedly.  
  
"I know this is stupid. But why are these memories coming back now? It all started out again way before Amelia left the hole, so this is certainly not the reason. Actually I already had a seizure back then, but I had her promise me, that she wouldn't tell anybody."  
  
"Okay, I think I understand," Pippin said. Then after a while he continued. "You miss her, don't you."  
  
"Of course I do. How couldn't I miss, what I love the most?"  
  
"Well, can't you go back to Tol Sîdh? Probably they can at least do something against your seizures," he suggested.  
  
"I don't think that anything would change there. Even though it is the most beautiful place to be, save the Shire." Frodo paused and then to Pippin's great surprise he smiled. "I'm an old hobbit now, my dear Pippin. Compared to me, you're a young one. Probably that's what it is like, when a former ring bearer dies." Only now Pippin understood, why Frodo had actually been smiling before.  
  
"So you're awaiting your death, aren't you?" he sadly asked, even though he already knew the answer to his question. Unable to resist the need to look Frodo in the eyes, he lifted his head, to face the other hobbit, who was still smiling. "My time is near. I can feel it. And I won't deny that I'm welcoming it. It will take a lot of pain away from me." Frodo paused. "At least that's what I hope," he concluded his sentence. In a way Pippin understood Frodo, but on the other hand he just didn't want to let his friend go. After all he had known Frodo all life long and whenever Pippin needed him, he was there.  
  
"Hey Pip," Frodo said, to break the silence that was a more unbearable pressure, than the topic they had spoken of. "Thanks for listening." Pippin smiled.  
  
"Sure thing, my dearest Frodo. You've always been a great friend. It's just hard to see you in so much pain again."  
  
"Do not fret, Pippin. I'm still here and besides you've promised me to finally invite me over to your place and introduce me to your wife and brat. You know how much I love children," Frodo grinned.  
  
"But not as much as Sam does," Pippin grinned back. "Why's that?"  
  
"Because you've only produced five of them, while Sam has thirteen," Pippin laughed out loud. "So, when do you want to come by and meet Estrella and the kids?" Frodo seemed to think for a while.  
  
"Well, why don't you stay here for the night and we both leave for your place tomorrow? You could help me with preparing dinner," Frodo then suggested.  
  
"Sure," Pippin agreed. "Sounds like fun."  
  
"It will be," Frodo said. "I'm sure it will be."  
  
The two hobbits had a blast that night. They stayed up late and talked about this and that and how much actually both of them would enjoy to meet Aragorn again and visit Minas Tirith. It was really late, when Frodo and Pippin finally decided to hit the pillows.  
  
Pippin woke up late the next morning and was quite ashamed of himself for sleeping so long. He dressed as fast as he could and then grabbing his crutches, he quickly hobbled into the kitchen. But no one was there. Pippin went further on into the sitting room and Frodo's study, but he could find his friend nowhere. Slightly worried about the other hobbit, he wandered towards Frodo's bedroom and there he found him. He was still lying in his bed and Pippin first thought, that the older hobbit was still asleep until he saw, that his eyes were wide open. Pippin rushed to Frodo's side. Fear had risen inside of him, that the friend had died, because his simple appearance could make one think so. As his shaking hand wandered towards Frodo's neck, he found out to his relieve, that blood was still pulsing through the other hobbit's veins. But pale he was and felt deadly cold to the touch. And even though his eyes were open, he didn't seem to notice anything of what was happening around him. Pippin got worried. Something was terribly wrong with poor Frodo and he was quite sure, that this was one of those seizures, he had talked of often before. He needed to help his friend, but had no clue how. Actually there was no cure at all, that was all he knew. Besides he didn't know whom to ask anyway. But certainly it wouldn't hurt to go and tell Pereline and the rest of his kids. As far as Pippin remembered, Pereline had learned a lot from her mother and probably she could help her father. But leaving Frodo alone in this state, didn't seem to be the right thing to do and so he decided to go and get Sam and Rosie first. They should take care of Frodo, while he was gone.  
  
Only minutes later (which is a surprisingly short time, considering that Pippin was only walking on one leg and a half plus the crutches) Pippin stood in front of the Gamgees' hole, knocking frantically against the round green door. It was the youngest Gamgee, Lotho, who opened the door.  
  
"What is it, Master Took? Why in such a hurry?" the small boy exclaimed.  
  
"Quick, lad, I need to see your parents."  
  
"Why's that?" the young one demanded.  
  
"Come on now, lad. There's no time for playing foolish question and answering games. Show me to your parents. NOW!" Pippin bellowed at the hobbit lad.  
  
"I'm sorry, Master Took," Lotho whimpered and led the older hobbit into the kitchen, where Sam and Rosie were sharing a cup of tea. Sam noticed Pippin's exhausted appearance and jumped up from his seat.  
  
"What is it, old friend?" he asked concernedly. "Are you alright?"  
  
"It's not me, Sam. Please, be quick. You've got to help me with Frodo. He's sick."  
  
"Mister Frodo, sick?" Sam gasped, suddenly falling back into the way he used to address Frodo decades before.  
  
"No time for questions now. I need to go and get Pereline. She might help Frodo," Pippin urged.  
  
"No, wait. You and Rosie go back to Frodo and I'll go and fetch Pereline. Mind me, but I think I'm a bit faster on my feet than you are," Sam said, slowly recovering from the first shock. "Do you think she's down in the old pharmacy?"  
  
"I think so," Pippin said. "Let's go Rosie. We have no time to waste."  
  
"Sure," Rosie whispered. Her face had all turned white and she quickly got up from her seat and grabbed Pippin by his arm. "Let's get moving. Only heavens know, what is going on with him."  
  
***  
  
Rosie and Pippin arrived at Bag End only ten minutes later. They both immediately stormed into Frodo's bedroom and had to see, that nothing had changed about his condition at all. He was still staring blankly at the ceiling and didn't react to anything. Pippin even slapped him in the face twice but he didn't even stir.  
  
"I'm frightened," he whispered more to himself than Rosie.  
  
"I certainly hope that Pereline will be able to help him," Rosie said, lost deeply in her thoughts. And just the very same moment the door swung open and Pereline followed by Sam and her sister Amelia entered the bedroom.  
  
"Pippin, what's wrong with dad?" Pereline asked with fear in both her voice and eyes.  
  
"I'm not sure. He used to have those seizures before he left for Tol Sîdh and he seems to have them again. I had hoped that Níniel has told you how to cure them," Pippin replied. Pereline sat down next to her father on the bed and took his hand in hers. It was cold, deadly cold and Pereline knew what it meant.  
  
"There's nothing we can do for him," she whispered and tears began streaming down her cheeks. "He's dying, Pippin." Then turning to Amelia she said "Go and get our brothers. They might want to see him, before he ." Pereline couldn't finish what she was about to say. She gently caressed Frodo's white cheek. "Don't worry, Daddy," she whispered and smiled warmly down on him. "You'll soon be with Naneth. I promise."  
  
Days passed by and finally turned into weeks. Frodo sometimes woke up for a short while and was quite clear in the head, but those moments were rare and valuable for those who loved him. Many a resident of the Shire wanted to visit the sick hero, but his family and friends kept them away from him, a fact that he welcomed in his few waking hours. As fall finally turned into a cold and uncomfortable winter, Frodo's condition worsened. Even though the seizures had disappeared, it was now his age and his past that weakened him. But Frodo did not fret. He was rather happy that he could spend time with the ones he loved. Pereline had returned to live in Bag End with her own family and in the middle of December she had a pleasant surprise for the old hobbit. She was pregnant again and that meant the fifteenth grandchild for Frodo. He was happy for his daughter and son in law. The laughter of his grandchildren and his children, who would all visit him at least every other day made the old hobbit feel a little better and more alive. But during the nights, that he often spent in his study, he thought about Níniel and Tol Sîdh and the good times they had shared. Throughout the years, his grief had vanished and been replaced by the joy of all his memories, which would ever so often bring a smile on his lips. But now that he was an old hobbit, he sometimes wished his old life back - with Níniel and with the kids still young lads. The time after he had returned from Tol Sîdh had been the best in his life, except for the second war in the Shire of course. And the good days, the days of peace of mind ended on the very day of his wife's death.  
  
That night Frodo left his study at around three and headed for the kitchen, where Pereline had fallen asleep over one of the many books, that she had inherited from her mother. Silently he sneaked towards her and softly ran his fingers through her dark brown curls, which reminded him so much of Níniel. Kissing her hair tenderly, he left the kitchen again, grabbed his cloak and left Bag End. It was a clear and cold night. The snow was sparkling where the soft light of the moon hit it. His steps in the rich white were hardly audible and so he went down to Hobbiton, along those meadows and fields that were richly blooming during the time of summer. As he walked further towards his undefined destination, he hummed a soft tune, that he had once heard from Bilbo. "The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone, and I must follow if I can. Pursuing with weary feet, until it joins some larger way, where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say."  
  
After fifteen minutes he stood in front of Níniel's old pharmacy, that Pereline had taken over after her mother's death. The strong smell of herbs immediately hit him and taking a deep breath in he proceeded further into the building. Pereline had left it all the way her mother had left it and even though Níniel hadn't been there for more than twenty years, it still felt as if she was there - at least to Frodo. Quietly he walked through the dark rooms and corridors of the old house and as tiredness hit him, he decided to take a little nap in one of the former sickrooms. Whether he realized, that he actually had chosen Pippin's former sickroom, is hard to say, but soon he fell into a deep sleep, that sort of sleep that leads you to your beloved ones over the stairway to heaven.  
  
*** The next day - Bag End ***  
  
"Dad?" Pereline gently opened the door to her father's bedroom and went to open the curtains. "It's a beautiful day and time to get up," she said cheerily and turned around to shake her sleepy father awake if necessary. But there was no one to wake. Frodo wasn't there. Pereline ran into the study, the sitting room, the kitchen, and finally she came to a breathless halt in the garden, but her father was to be found nowhere. Later she couldn't tell what actually drew her down to Hobbiton and into the pharmacy of her mother. But that's where she found her father, in one of the few sickrooms. A candle was still burning on the nightstand and he seemed to be at peace. A smile curved the tender lines of his lips and his eyes gazed lovingly into the bright light of a more peaceful life behind the barriers between life and death. With a slight smile on her face and tears in her eyes, Pereline sat down on the bed next to her father and closed those deep blue eyes one more last time.  
  
"Suilado Naneth, adar," she whispered. "Hiro sîdh a pado or moe raid. Milon cen. Namarie, adar."  
  
The entire Baggins family, as well as the Gamgees, Brandybucks and Tooks and all of Hobbiton's many residents attended the funeral of Frodo Baggins. He got the funeral that he deserved - the funeral of a true hero. Many a hobbit spoke upon his open grave, once again reviving the achievements of the hobbit, who had suffered so much for the sake of others, that he never got to know. Even three weeks after the funeral, hobbits from all over the Shire as well as people from such far away regions of Middle Earth as Gondor arrived to visit the grave and honor Frodo Baggins one more last time.  
  
Nowadays hobbits, elves, dwarves and such are long gone and the only creatures remaining are men. Those of old may be gone. But their legend lives on.  
  
THE END 


	26. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
Frodo woke up after a long sleep. Almost automatically his hand wandered over to the other pillow in the bed, which of course was empty. It was just another day, like all the other days in the previous twenty years. Through the curtains the first rays of a warm winter morning sun fell into the room and Frodo enjoyed those tickling warm spots on his face so much, that he eventually sat up straight in his bed and threw his legs over the edge. As he wanted to grab his walking stick, it was not standing next to his bed as it usually did. Quite confused about it, he checked the room and saw something, that looked a lot like his stick, in another corner of the room. Sighing deeply, he wondered how he had managed to get to bed the night before without it. Finally coming back to his senses as the weariness of night swept away, Frodo realized, that he had to get it himself, since there was nobody else around. So he finally stood up and to his great surprise the pain and stiffness in his leg was gone; it almost seemed as if it had never been there. Confused he walked over to the chair, where he was sure, he had put his clothes the night before. But they were also not there and instead he found his shirt, pants and vest hanging from the closet door. "How weird" he told himself, but finally dressed. On his way into the kitchen he noticed the smell of fresh coffee, eggs, toast and apple pie. But there was another smell in the air, very familiar and making him feel very cozy and comfortable. There was only one problem about it. Frodo hadn't noticed that smell in more than twenty years and actually it was impossible that it was there, unless Pereline had inherited more from her mother, than Frodo had realized before. So he went into the kitchen, but to his surprise, no one was there. Someone had prepared the perfect breakfast for a perfect hobbit-day and Frodo sat down and quickly helped himself to some coffee, eggs and toast.  
  
After he had finished his splendid breakfast, Frodo decided to go out, sit in the warm sun and have a good smoke. A day with so much sun and no pain was too seldom and valuable than to be spent inside. Frodo sat down on the bench in his garden and only after the weed in his pipe was burning, he looked up and watched his surroundings. This was not Bag End. He was someplace else, that looked a lot like his home, though. Short distance away he saw another hobbit sitting under a tree and - as far as he could see it - reading a book. The environment seemed familiar and Frodo was sure, that he had been there before. So he thought it would be a good idea to just go ahead and ask the other hobbit where they actually were. This was just all so weir and confusing him. He was at home, but on the other hand he was not and also this place seemed familiar and yet strange. And even now, that he was walking towards the other hobbit, this one seemed to be familiar as well.  
  
*** This is from the other hobbit's POV ***  
  
"So, he is finally awake. Well, he has always liked to sleep long. But I guess, he's deserved it. After all he's been terribly sick. Poor Frodo. Probably it's time now. He's coming closer. Now get your old body up and welcome him. I've sure been waiting long enough for this moment to come."  
  
*** Frodo's POV ***  
  
"Now what is this?" Frodo asked himself as he slowly walked down the path that led into the forest. The other hobbit got up, laid the book aside and now walked towards him. From the distance and her clothing, he could tell that it was obviously a female hobbit and the closer she came, the clearer became the lines of her face. "But this is impossible," Frodo whispered and without realizing it, he had suddenly come to a halt, afraid of what would happen next. "It can't be her," Frodo stubbornly told himself. "She's dead. It can't be Níniel." The other hobbit came closer and closer and then, only a few more yards away from him, she also came to a halt. "Frodo," she whispered, almost inaudible, but loud enough so that Frodo could hear her. "Is this really you?" he whispered back, slowly moving towards her. "But this is impossible." "We're home," she said. "No, I'm not," Frodo denied and then quickly he ran towards her and embraced her tightly in his arms, tears running freely down his cheeks. "Now I am." 


End file.
